


It's Never Easy

by Shescella



Category: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-01 16:33:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 167,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23750113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shescella/pseuds/Shescella
Summary: As the last living Cetra on the Planet, Aerith continues to roam the streets of Midgar as a flower peddler despite the potential dangers of anybody learning her true heritage. While Shinra's influence has greatly diminished since its fall a few years prior, Elmyra still deems it necessary to protect her daughter, and what better way than with a handsome, blond bodyguard? [Clerith]
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife
Comments: 302
Kudos: 775





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Taken from my FanFiction site per a recommendation from a reviewer. Always happy to share my stories on different platforms if it means people could access them easier! Enjoy~`

A beautiful maiden sat at the edge of the window in her room, eyes gazing at the greens of her home while a hopeless sigh passed between her lips easily. It was uncountable, the number of sighs she had given out since the morning her eyes fluttered open. Despite the beauty of the world around her—the sunshine, the birds singing, the winds whistling—the boredom that encased the remainder of her day was nothing to look forward to.

"Milady, do you mind if I come in and change your bedsheets?"

Aerith glanced at her door before huffing another uneventful sigh.

"Go on ahead."

The door opened and in came two housekeepers with fresh white linen sheets in their hands. They bowed respectfully towards Aerith for a moment before they entered the busy work. Not wanting to awkwardly feel their presence in complete silence while she sat with her thoughts, Aerith excused herself to go find refuge within the gardens. She skipped past the small bridge leading to the flower beds and took a huge breath, gratefully taking in the smell of nature—her nature.

Aerith bent down at a flower bed dazzling with yellow flowers: her favorite. Since spring was at its greatest bloom, the petals seemed to glisten underneath the sunlight, all brimming with good health and vitality. She reached over to grab the basket that always sat by the edge of the bridge and began to gather the ripe flowers. It pained her a bit to take them away from where they first sprouted, but she knew they would also be happy in a vase at a different home.

Elmyra didn't like how the young woman pranced around the different sectors as a flower peddler since it was "too dangerous for a pure soul like hers to explore around the unknown unattended" but that never stopped Aerith from sneaking past her eyes and spreading her beautiful bouquets to the farthest distances they could reach. Flowers were a rarity in the sectors, but they weren't at her home; selling the beauties were less of a chore and more of side hobby as well as some side hustle. She never thought that anything would really limit her from going out as much per her adoptive mother's wishes—the world wasn't _that_ scary—but Aerith never knew Elmyra's concerns meant a lot more than just a simple discretion.

Until _he_ came.

"Excuse me?"

Aerith's hand froze from the flower picking as her green eyes shot upward to seek the voice. Her inner instincts instantly told her to make a run for it the moment she spotted the large sword swung behind the man's back; rarely anybody she didn't know would cross by her residence, much less anybody who carried such a glamorous weapon. It was the curious green-infused blue eyes that made her steel her ground—they spoke question.

"Hello," she said as she stood up and patted her dress down, "how may I help you? Ah, would you care to buy some flowers?" The slightly startled expression the young man adorned was enough to cast her fears away. "They are at the peak of their bloom, perfect for homes!"

When she popped her inquiring face closer, the young man swiftly took a step back. Aerith tilted her head at him, wondering what it was that made him so jumpy. Her?

"Is the Gainsborough Residence near?" he curtly asked. A little pout formed on her face at the way he completely dodged her question. Nonetheless, she dropped it with the flowers.

"Why, yes, but what is your business here?"

"I was hired by Elmyra Gainsborough." He looked past her head, trying to find the house that hid behind all the green that surrounded the place. When he did, he gave a small nod to Aerith. "If you will excuse me."

"Oh, wait, wait," she fussed, ears instantly perked about this "hiring" business. She didn't hear anything about this; if Elmyra ever had a concern about anything, especially new workers at their rather large house, she would be the first to know. Aerith quickly side-stepped, blocking the blond's path. No hulking sword was going to scare her away from this one. "Hired? Who are you?"

With a closer look at his eyes, she could see the green in more detail. Mako. It startled her, honestly—such eyes only belonged to a SOLDIER, and SOLDIERs don't ever come around here. Rather, they shouldn't. With the demise of Shinra Electric Power Company some years ago, the training of SOLDIERs also came down with it. The young man couldn't be any older or younger than her, so there was no way he could be a SOLDIER with his age.

Aerith didn't beat around the bush, so she directly asked, "Are you a SOLDIER?"

The young man didn't make an effort to hide his discomfort. It seemed like he had experienced this question numerous of times already. Instead, he looked away to prevent her from studying his eyes any longer and shook his head.

"I'm a merc. Here for the job." His gaze shifted back towards her figure to study it briefly. With all the questions she threw at him, he took an educated guess at who she was. "Are you… Aerith Gainsborough?"

"That's me," she nodded, but she quickly clasped a hand over her mouth. Elmyra always did warn her from disclosing her identity so easily to strangers, but it wasn't as if Aerith ever listened. However, she found the current situation more fitting for her warning than ever before. A sheepish smile spread across her face, as if doing so could make the young man forget, but he didn't return it. He just let out a sigh before crossing his arms.

"Cloud. Cloud Strife."

"Um, excuse me?"

"My name."

"Oh." Aerith blinked. What was this progression? Was she supposed to introduce herself to a stranger? More importantly, was it wise to even lead this rather _handsome_ stranger into her homely abode? He could've been lying for all she knew. Maybe he was a SOLDIER spy sent from Shinra disguised as a merc. They were desperate for her before; just because they lost their power didn't mean they couldn't go after her again. Where was Elmyra when she needed her?

Aerith bit her bottom lip. Should she bring out her magic staff and beat him up? So many different scenarios played within her head, enough to distract her from the utterly confused mercenary in front of her.

"I'm your bodyguard from now o—"

"Look, I may seem like I can't fend for myself, but I am perfectly armed and I will— _excuse me_?" Aerith spluttered the last part, getting a little bit too caught up to let him finish his sentence. However, she heard enough. " _What?_ Bodyguard?"

Cloud rubbed the back of his head, looking unwilling to explain anything to a person who obviously wasn't informed. "I start the job today."

"Maybe you are mistaken?" Aerith tried. Pieces of the puzzle started to align themselves. Elmyra's warnings _had_ been quite excessive as of late, but Aerith simply took it as a response to her more frequent escapes away from boredom. Despite this, a bodyguard seemed _way_ too out of hand. Where was the decency to inform her first before hiring a _mercenary?_ Even the young man looked reluctant—how much was he paid?

"Miss, uh, _Gainsborough_ ," Aerith couldn't help but shiver at the idea of _anybody_ calling her by her last name like that, "Things would perhaps be sorted out if the three of us talked. If you could lead me to your residence, that would be make the job a lot easier."

At this point, Aerith just knew that every word he spoke was the darn truth. Elmyra had a _lot_ of explaining to do. In the meantime, teasing the new worker seemed to be delightful idea.

"It's not wise for me to just lead such a man like you into my home," she cheekily replied. "It comes with a price!"

Cloud looked at her, unamused. She bent down to grab her unattended basket of flowers and reached her hand out towards him with a lily. "The offer still stands! These flowers only come during the spring, so once a year do they bloom."

"Sorry, not interested," replied Cloud. Despite his refusal, Aerith giggled and tucked a flower into one of the straps of his sleeveless uniform. He took another step back, surprised at the suddenness of her movement. His eyes looked at the flower confusingly, as if he never saw such a thing before. Aerith laughed; the flower did not compliment his hard look at all.

"I like to give service to my new customers," she winked. She patted him on the chest where the flower stem sat for good measure. Again, he let out a sound of surprise. "This one's on the house. Don't be so cold towards the flowers next time, hm?"

"If there is a next time," he gruffly said before moving past her and towards her home. Aerith settled down the basket of flowers and followed closely behind. With full view of his large sword strapped on his back, she studied the blade. She could already imagine herself trying to carry the weapon, only for her thinly arms to give in and drop it onto the floor.

"Want to tell me when you got the job?" Aerith continued to clobber him with questions.

"Three weeks ago."

"Three _weeks?_ " That was nearly a month! Now a bit more offended with how Elmyra kept all of this from her, a frown graced itself on her gentle face. "Now, why would such a man like you take on this sort of job?" She playfully felt the hilt of the sword. He continued walking on, not bothering to stop her. "You look like a tough guy fighting evil—or the opposite—in dark alleyways."

"More than you could ever imagine," he let on.

"Sure, of course, of course. Bodyguarding must be a tough cookie on the list too."

"Who knows. Never done it before."

When they reached the front of her home, Aerith skipped past him to block him one last time. A grin stretched across her face while his adorned a raised brow. While she wouldn't mind gracing the presence of such a mysterious and handsome man, a bodyguard was the last thing she needed. Her adoptive mother had another thing coming if she thought she would accept this unnecessary situation so easily.

"Cloud, I'm sure there are many other jobs that are much more deserving of your time. I know _quite_ a bit of connections, if I do say so myself," she reached a hand to feel his biceps. Surprised, he instantly flexed his muscles. "I'm confident that I'll land you a job that would be worthwhile for you too. How about it?"

His hand grasped hers to pull it away from his arm. He let go before saying, "I got a rep to live up to, especially when I've already been paid ahead of time. Maybe next time when the job's done. Now if you'll excuse me." Aerith gaped at him as she automatically let him knock on her door. Paid? Already? Elmyra was _desperate._

The door opened to reveal the one and only. A smile lit on her face when she saw the merc, confirming Aerith's suspicions. Obviously been expecting his arrival, Elmyra invited him in. "You've come earlier than I expected. And it seems like you've met my daughter!"

"Mom," Aerith said underneath her breath. All her questions were voiced out in that single word. When Cloud entered the house, Aerith let the questions show in her eyes as she stared at her adoptive mom. "What's all this about?"

"You probably answered your own questions during the walk back here," Elmyra simply answered. "As the last living Cetra on the Planet, one would think you would be a little bit more concerned about your safety."

"Mom, I'm fine. Honestly," Aerith glanced over at Cloud, who stood at a respectable distance to remain out of earshot from their conversation. "No one is going after me. Shinra is down, and the place is safer now. I can even defend myself. You think my magic staff is just a metal stick?"

"Child, just because Shinra stopped their chase doesn't mean other people have. Your identity remains low, but there's no predicting what can happen."

"I get it, but you hired a _SOLDIER?_ That's a little bit counterintuitive." Even if he said he wasn't one, there was no other way to explain the mako-colored eyes. "Ever heard of a background check?"

"A very good friend of mine recommended him to me, and I trust her more than anything. He isn't a SOLDIER—just a mercenary who truly is working alone."

"But his eyes—"

"Aerith, dear," Elmyra's tired eyes gazed into Aerith's, "Call me silly all you want, but do this for me, hm? My heart can't stay worried for a second longer. With a bodyguard, I can worry less every time you go out."

Aerith couldn't fight her mother any longer with the way her she looked so tired. Realizing how her frequent trips to the different sectors took a toll on her dear mother, Aerith gave up trying to refute the idea. Nothing seemed to be reversible now. With Cloud already here and paid, putting up a fight seemed futile.

"Does he… know?"

"That you're the last Cetra? Why, of course. The urgent need for your safety must be made apparent. It would seem rather ridiculous for a man like him to just guard a nobody. Cloud, come here and join us. You mustn't stand by yourself like that."

Cloud wordlessly came over to join the two. His entire presence felt so awkward in her house with his bulky sword and his battle gear. The awkwardness radiated from his posture and the small frown that was present on his forehead as well. He seemed unfamiliar in a home setting, which didn't seem too surprising—the floor seemed to be a regular companion of his.

"I'm sure you've already heard what the job entails, but it's simple enough. Please be watchful of my daughter by accompanying her whenever she goes away from home, which I'm sure is a daily occurrence. The schedule is flexible in your favor, but perhaps not Aerith's."

"What do you mean?" the brunette asked.

"What I mean is this: you aren't allowed to go outside of Sector 5 without his accompaniment."

Aerith rubbed her forehead, her head already spinning from the sudden freedom that slipped by her hands so fast. Nevertheless, she accepted the terms, just for her weary mother. His presence shouldn't affect her daily life too much. The eyes that would constantly be on her might strike as uncomfortable, but it couldn't be as worse as some of the things she experienced as an unknown flower peddler on the streets of Midgar.

"Sounds fine," Cloud simply answered.

"There's a guest room here already set up for you. I'm sure traveling around between Sector 5 and 7 can be tiring sometimes. Feel free to rest up in there whenever you need to. Thank you for your future diligence. Now, if you'll excuse me, I got some grocery shopping to do." And with that, Elmyra left through the front door with a smile. Aerith was quick to tilt her head towards Cloud again in question.

"Sector 7?" she whistled. "That's far. The money must've been really worth it, huh?"

He looked away, something Aerith noticed he did frequently. Eye contact must've not been his thing. "Something like that." And it wasn't just his eye movements; he was a man of very few words.

Aerith giggled and circled him, much to his bewilderment. Oh, she could tell she was going to have fun with this. "So, how do you feel?"

"About?"

"Guarding the last Cetra on the Planet. Well, half-Cetra, but details, details! Oh, but do make yourself at home. Relax!"

Cloud let out an "oof" when she circled behind him and grabbed his shoulders to steer him towards a table. She seated him and sat across from him. Her hands clasped together on the table in mirth; it had been so long since she last sat down and talked about her origins with anybody. Elmyra always did caution her from advertising her bloodline so frivolously.

He cleared his throat before he spoke. The mannerisms really needed to go away. Him being uncomfortable made her uncomfortable. "Nothing much to it."

"Oh, please, I'm sure you're _much_ more interested than that. Don't be so shy. Ask away!"

"Why ask when there are books on your people?" he countered. "Unless I am misinformed."

"I can always correct you."

"Heard you can speak to inanimate objects."

"Nature is not _inanimate,_ " Aerith huffed jokingly. "Sorry to disappoint. Would you like me to talk to your sword?"

"I get it," he roughly said in response to all her teasing. He stood up, not interested in any of the small talk she planned to have with him. "Are you planning on going out today or no?"

"Considering how I no longer need to escape unseen," she stood up with him, "I'll gladly take the open door out. Shall we head to Sector 1 today? I haven't been there recently to sell my flowers since it's such a long way about."

Cloud didn't say anything as he followed her out the door and back to the flower beds. Once she gathered enough flowers for the trip, they headed down to the train together. It irked Aerith how he refused to walk by her side and instead walked behind her from a good distance—was this what bodyguards did? The looks he garnered were obvious. She could hear the light whispers dancing among the people they passed; there was no way such eyes could look past the gigantic blade he had.

"Do you mind walking any slower?" Aerith turned around and narrowed her eyes at him. He caught up to her and sighed—he sighed way too much.

"I prefer it that way, Ms. Gainsborough."

"Oh, _please_ ," she shook her head instantly. "Aerith is fine, you uptight stick."

It was clear that Cloud was not used to anybody talking to him the way Aerith did as his eyes widened slightly. Was that supposed to be an insult? He didn't know. "Would you rather me call you Mr. Strife?"

"… Please don't."

"The feeling's mutual then," she grinned. She went by his side and hooked her free arm around his elbow, startling him greatly. "Now if you don't want people to suddenly report you to the guards around here, stick by my side, why don't 'cha? Either that, or you'll get some of _this_ treatment from me."

She laughed when he wiggled his arm away from her grip. "The former it is then. And would it _kill_ to ditch the sword?"

"You're basically asking me to be jobless," Cloud deadpanned as they continued walking through her hometown. Aerith raised a quizzical brow and threw punches in the air. He warily eyed the way the flowers nearly bounced out of her basket from her erratic movements.

"You got these babies, don't you? There's no murdering around my turf here. Your sword is, dare I say it, a big overkill. You remind me of another person I once knew. No one would ever approach the likes of you guys."

"Makes my job easier, then."

"And _mine_ harder! But oh poosh, we'll see how business will boom today. And you," Aerith tapped the flower that still, surprisingly, sat at his chest, "shall be my handsome model. A man with a flower—how absolutely dashing!"

Cloud didn't say anymore. Aerith couldn't tell whether he was speechless or if he was just tired of all her rambling. A bit boring, his company, but it was better than none.

After a couple of hours on the streets of Sector 1, Aerith called it a day when it began to get dark. Business remained the usual since Cloud preferred to stand somewhere far, but not too far, to observe her. He must've liked to do his job undercover and out of sight, and Aerith wasn't going to peg him to stand by her as she sold her flowers. His rigid figure probably would've scared off some of the customers anyway.

"You don't get bored just standing there?" Aerith inquired on their train ride back to Sector 5.

"It's peaceful," he answered. "Something the jobs I do rarely are."

"I'm _sure_ they're action-packed. Must be a real pain, hm?"

"This job is painful in many other ways," he muttered, and she doubted it was supposed to go unheard.

"Just think about it," she mused as she stuck a hand in the air for dramatic effect, "Cloud Strife, the merc that protected the last Cetra ever living on this Planet. Doesn't that sound _so_ heroic?"

"Good for the rep."

"Oh, and of course for the rep too, no doubt. But!" Aerith wagged a finger in front of his face, which he retracted away from, "You can't go advertising who I am, no matter how much I pick at your skin. I live a life of somewhat-secrecy!"

"Uh huh, by selling flowers out on the streets. Real secret."

Aerith laughed once more before she gave Cloud a break and remained quiet for the rest of their trip back home. Once they reached the front of her house, nighttime had already fallen over, and the lights that lit up all her flower beds shined like playful fireflies.

"Are you gonna be using the guest room tonight? It's right next to my room. We could have the most wonderful chats all night long," Aerith joked, already knowing what his answer was going to be. During the whole day, his discomfort with her teasing never failed to ease away. She took back her earlier thought from this morning; it was _his_ sighs that were uncountable, not hers.

"I'm going back. Tell me when you plan on going out next time, and I'll see if I'm free."

Aerith was impressed—she swore that was the longest phrase he spoke all day.

"And how am I going to do that?" she questioned. Without another word, she fished out her phone and waved it.

"Oh. Right."

Before he could take it and enter in his information, she pulled it away at the last second.

"Not until you promise me you're going to take good care of that flower. Before you put it in a vase, you gotta cut the stem," she motioned a pair of scissors with her other hand, "Diagonally!"

"What? Ah." He didn't realize how he had it on the entire day. "The flower or your freedom: choose your pick."

"You're no fun," she pouted, and she handed him her phone. He entered his digits before he handed it back to her. As he turned around to make his way back to Sector 7, Aerith hooted after him. "Good night! Safe travels."

"… Good night."

And he went off.

~.~.~

"Well, what do we have here: a _sissy!_ "

Cloud took a shot out of his drink, completely ignoring the unwanted commentary by Barrett. "His new job is being a flower boy, eh?"

"Don't tease him so much," Tifa chided, but she couldn't help but giggle as well. "I guess it comes with the job."

"Maybe sniffing the flower might give him a romantic bone or two," Jessie joined in as she sat beside the blond and hugged her glass.

Having enough of the endless teasing, Cloud tore off the flower from his strap and handed it to Tifa, who took it in mild surprise.

"You can have it for all I care," he scoffed, but his eyes fleetingly glanced over to see the raven-haired beauty's reaction. Tifa blinked before laughing.

"Maybe the effects are already settling in, Jessie."

"Oh, poo, you didn't think of me?"

Cloud sighed. "Wasn't voluntary."

"How is it, guarding the last Cetra on the Planet?" Barrett asked, finally changing the topic. "Was damn surprised to hear you got picked for the job. Who knew we could ever have a connection to the famed gal?"

"Was it pleasant?" Tifa inquired. "So much better than the usual, isn't it?"

"Depends," he answered. "First day of the job. Wouldn't know yet."

Tifa bit the bottom of her lip before smiling. "I'm really glad you took this job, Cloud. I really am."

He pulled his gaze from his drink to meet her ruby orbs, which smiled gleefully at the news of his uneventful yet successful day of work. His lips pursed into a thin line—his definition of a smile. With a nod, he said, "Of course."

When Tifa began to rummage the shelves of her bar for a vase. Cloud remembered Aerith's advice.

_You gotta cut the stem diagonally!_

"Hey, Tifa, got scissors?"

Tifa perked up an eyebrow, but didn't verbally question it as she filled a small vase with water and handed him the scissors. With a short snip, he cut the stem and placed the flower into its new home.


	2. Chapter 2

Cloud was in the middle of eating a late lunch at 7th Heaven with Tifa, Biggs, and Wedge when his phone rang—quite incessantly, might he add. The gang grew perturbed when he failed to even give the noisy thing a glance. It was after the fifth ring when Biggs decided to speak up.

"Buddy, you might be fine with listening to that, but do whoever's on the other side—and us—a favor and maybe, oh, I dunno, _spare_ a look?"

The blond stabbed a fork into his mashed potatoes, already propping up a grave for his lunch. Tifa, along with everyone else, watched curiously as Cloud took the phone off the table and checked the buzzing notifications.

_Hey, I'm going out to Sector 6 for lunch today._

_Pretty boy, I'm actually pretty hungry, so don't keep me waiting!_

_… You're totally ignoring me._

_A maiden is dying of starvation right now. You better be ready to take responsibility!_

_Cloud, I hope you don't forget who your employer is. 20 minutes, period._

The last text message, which chillingly changed in tone, was the one that got his feet moving. Flexible schedule, his ass. Grabbing his sword that leaned against the next table, he swung it behind his back with one clean sweep before he ate his last spoonful of his lunch.

"Wrap it up for me. I'll get to it when I'm back," Cloud said to Tifa as he stuffed his phone into his pocket. "Duty calls."

"Cloud Strife, once a tough merc, now a loyal bodyguard. A man of two faces: that sounds pretty awesome, bro!" Wedge chuckled with a bit of food still in his mouth. Cloud's eye twitched as he watched him dig into his food before clicking his tongue.

"At least I got a face that isn't hidden behind a plate all the time."

"But I do hope that sharp tongue of yours is hidden in your mouth when you're with the Cetra," Tifa jokingly warned, but the sharpness in her gaze said otherwise. "Wouldn't want you fired on your second excursion or anything."

"You're speaking too soon," he muttered. Tifa's forecast might be proven soon enough if he didn't get going. "I'll be back. Um," his expression suddenly went meek, earning amused looks from his gang. "So how long is it to Sector 5 again?"

"Better get running," said Biggs, and before anyone knew it, Cloud was out the door with a slight jog towards the train station.

At the Gainsborough residence, Elmyra was impressed to see Aerith sitting by the dining table and waiting for her newly-appointed bodyguard before leaving.

"Rare. To see you sitting in a chair and not flying off somewhere," she chuckled as she washed the dishes. "You're not making me regret my choice of hiring somebody to keep an eye on you."

"Shoot, I should've done that, huh," Aerith snapped with her fingers. Elmyra took this as a signal to ignore her silliness. "Darn. Guess I can never make you regret it—or can I?"

"Don't you even start, young lady."

"Kidding, kidding."

The doorbell rang, and that signaled her enigmatic bodyguard's arrival. Aerith grabbed her bag and basket ever full with flowers before heading to the door. "Well, I'm off. Finally!"

When she opened the door, she was greeted with the sight of Cloud leaning his back on the side of her home. She gave him a sickly-sweet smile when she noticed how he breathed a tad bit harder than usual.

"I take it that you had a good afternoon exercise jog?" Aerith said as she led the way to the train station once more.

Cloud scoffed. "No such thing."

"Mhm. Alright, alright." She knew she was already getting under his skin. Right off the bat—just the way she liked it. "And did you have lunch yet?"

An unnatural pause. "Yes."

"I don't think my question was a hard one to answer. So? What are you feeling: BBQ or sushi?"

"I said I ate already."

"If you already ate, then I must've already eaten too," Aerith giggled. She wasn't sure why he was so hard with her—she swore she was being friendly. Maybe that was just his personal code for work, to not get close and remain on business-like terms with his clients. He might have to change that though; all of that stuff sounded boring to Aerith.

"It's whatever—up to you," he finally said as surrender. "Is it a habit for you to travel to different sectors for a lunch alone?"

Aerith turned around and wagged her finger at him again as she continued to walk backwards. Cloud's eyes shifted to her feet to make sure she didn't stumble on a rock. "Nuh uh. Correction: I'm not alone today."

"That's sad, considering how you're spending it with a mere bodyguard." It wasn't until he finished his phrase when he remembered Tifa's warning about his "sharp tongue." He wouldn't lose his job over something small like this, right?

Aerith's joyous laugh echoed into the air soothingly. It was as if the flower beds heard her with the way they seemed to instantly dance in wavy patterns at the sound of her voice when there was no wind. Cloud presumed that he was off the hook for now with his imprudent comments.

"It's been forever since I've wandered into Sector 6. Even I know not to cross territory and step foot into Wall Market alone. Now that I got a trusty, capable bodyguard by my side, I can dine to my heart's content! The sword's going to be finally useful today—at least its appearance will."

"What happened to being able to fend for yourself?"

"Silly, did I ever say that?"

"You're much more of a handful than I thought," Cloud sighed. He was getting braver with his comments. Aerith assumed it was from the fact that she had been letting it go quite easily. She didn't complain; she liked this better than the stony personality he first graced her with.

When they arrived at Sector 6 and stepped off the train, they were already greeted with bustling crowds as they entered and exited the entrance of Wall Market. While the place was more aesthetically pleasing during the night with all of its lights and decorations enlightening the place, daylight gave it another type of beauty. The shopping center appeared more welcoming and safer when it was anything but. With a tricky exterior, Wall Market in the daylight masked itself with an atmosphere similar to a holiday festival.

"As a merc, do you go here often?" Aerith asked above the noise, curious about what kind of work entailed the mysterious SOLDIER imposter. She made sure to stick close to his side so that she didn't get whisked away. This time, he didn't complain about the closeness. Outwardly, at least. "Seems like a place you would journey through regularly."

"Even I know not to play around with the laws here," he answered.

"But there are none here."

"Exactly."

When they reached the place Aerith wanted, they quickly found an empty table for two that stood right outside the entrance of the restaurant by the side. Cloud remained insistent about not eating, but there wasn't much use to refuse when she started to stack pieces of cooked BBQ meat onto his plate. She happily clenched her hands into tiny fists when the savory flavor hit her tongue.

"Gosh, it's been a while."

"So nature girl can eat nature," Cloud remarked, finding the whole image contradictory. Aerith shrugged before sighing.

"That's what happens when you're only half of a 'nature girl' and placed in a society that is not very vegetarian-friendly."

"Fair." Cloud thought about what he was going to say next before he actually said it. "You've been mentioning 'half'?"

It took a few seconds for Aerith to figure out what the context was with just that one word. "Oh, I guess it wasn't clear. I'm only half-Cetra. My mom was full-Cetra while my dad was human. As a result, you get this fifty-fifty blood, but it's the closest you can get anymore."

"I see." The cogs then started to churn in his head as he heeded her words carefully. "But your mom…?"

"Elmyra? No, she's not Cetra—she's only my adoptive mom. Well, not only. I love her as if she's my own blood." Aerith was starting to get the hang of it: understanding what Cloud meant despite his lack of words. She could see it, the way his eyes swam with all the curious questions of her background. She also knew—knew how he was being polite and withholding of his curiosity.

The sudden energy she had the start of her meal unwillingly started to fade as she began to brood over the topic of her heritage once more. Too many times had she questioned her existence, but too many times had she accepted it with positive spirit. Certainly, it didn't come as easy when she was younger, but once she found a purpose around this place, even if it meant just being a meager flower peddler out on the streets, it made the acceptance come a lot smoother.

"Didn't I say to ask away if you had any questions?" said Aerith when she realized how she unintentionally let the mood drop between her and Cloud as well. "It's not often that I can talk about this on, like, an everyday-basis. It's quite refreshing."

A part of her knew that she shouldn't disclose so easily her history to a stranger she just met for the second time despite him already knowing of her blood already. A line was meant to be drawn, but it wasn't Aerith's expertise to draw lines, even when it should've been. Luckily for her, Cloud did it for her.

"None," he promptly said, and he continued his forced meal with her.

When they finished and began to head back to the train station, Aerith spotted a small flower bed by the desolate side of the pathway. None trucked their ways often to this end in the path. Aerith, without giving a further warning to Cloud, detached from his side and went over to the small patch of green. Not caring whether her dress would get dirtied by the ground, she knelt down and gave a greeting to the lonely patch. Some onlookers were curious as to why a young woman was just on the ground, but Aerith had grown too used to it over the years.

"What are you doing?" Cloud's voice emerged from behind her. It wasn't biting; it was a genuine question.

"Saying hi to the flowers." Aerith didn't turn around to look at him. She could already imagine his confused look in her mind anyway. "They're complaining about how people keep passing by them without looking."

"… Really?"

"Kidding," and she turned around to stick her tongue out at the oblivious young man. When her greetings finished, she stood back up and dusted herself off. "It's a thing I do when I see some random springs of life around areas such as these. They… speak to me." It had been too long since she described her experiences with nature out loud to anyone. "But that sounds silly to you, doesn't it?"

With her bodyguard's cold demeanor, the last thing she expected him to say was, "Comes with being a Cetra, hm?" There wasn't any special meaning to it, at least in his eyes—it was just a common thing to say—but to Aerith, it certainly meant more than that. Cloud's mind was simple; the only thing he thought of wasn't how weird Aerith was, but how he should've taken Barrett more seriously when the bulky man claimed he heard the Planet dying, only for Cloud to snap at him to "get help."

"If I try really hard, I can tell you what they're saying!"

"Not interested." But then his expression changed slightly. "But tell me anyway."

"But maybe another time," she giggled, playing him a trap as she pranced around him one full circle once more. "I'll only tell you once you're truly interested!" Cloud's only reaction was with a "hmph" before he took the lead towards the exit of Wall Market.

"So where are you planning on selling the flowers today?"

"Oh, I'm sure it's a place you'd be more comfortable with."

"…"

"Sector 7!"

Cloud instantly frowned before pinching his eyebrows together. A million thoughts already raced through his mind, most leaning on the unpleasant side than the other. He opened his mouth to protest, but she shushed him with a finger hovering near his lips, almost touching.

"You're not the one to decide my business, sir," mused Aerith. "Now who is your employer again?"

"And would you like me to remind you that you are _not_ my employer?" he rebutted, referring to how he was receiving his paycheck from Elmyra. "Let's not forget whose schedule bends for who next time before you blow my phone."

"Oh, shoo, I know you like getting rings from your little rectangle. I doubt it's even noisy in the first place—you look like a total 'I leave everyone on read' person."

Cloud set his jaw. "You're not wrong."

Aerith laughed for the nth time today before the two headed to Sector 7. Aerith didn't go to Sector 7 often. It wasn't as if she disliked the area. The people there seemed to be already deeply immersed in other things, too busy to spare a caring glance at the flowers she offered to sell. She took no offense to it though; much greater things happened in their life compared to some measly flowers. With Cloud by her side though, she felt a little bit more comfortable to sell in an area that was less accepting of her beauties.

Being purposely a meanie to Cloud, Aerith tried not to laugh when Cloud uncomfortably greeted those who knew him the moment they stepped into Sector 7 territory. He even slowed so that he could be a bit farther away from her, as if such an insignificant distance could magically make him unassociated with her presence. Aerith didn't bother him about it this time. This was his area: she trusted him to know how it worked around here.

"Ey, Strife, I got a busy job for you today! Involves unloading stuff. You up for it?" a resident yelled at him when they passed.

"Quite busy today, maybe another time," Cloud hollered back across the distance.

"You know, you can do your own stuff," Aerith hummed. "Surely you can trust me by myself in your turf?"

"Expect the unexpected," replied Cloud, arms crossed and weight shifted on one side when they stood in the center of all the hustle of daily life. "I don't trust you."

Cloud honestly jumped back a bit when Aerith summoned her magic staff. She could bet all her money that people who knew him would _die_ to see this type of reaction from him. He did not expect her weapon to suddenly materialize out of thin air. She waved it about his face to prove a point.

"Me. You. Dual," she tapped the tip of her staff on his chest and then onto her own shoulder, "We'll know who the stronger one is sooner if we do it this way."

A competitive gleam unexpectedly appeared in his eyes at the mention of a battle, but realizing who he was talking to, it disappeared as quick as it came. Aerith didn't need half of her brain to know what he was thinking: he could easily cut such a delicate girl like her in half.

"Look, I'm involved in a lot more things than you think," he said with narrowed eyes. "The sword isn't for decoration."

"Oh, and my staff is?"

Cloud flat out groaned a bit instead of sighing when Aerith did her little circle around him again. He remained unmoved when she tapped him in places such as his shoulder, his back, and the back of his knees with the tip of her staff before she made a full revolution to face him. "Being chased by Shinra scientists for half of your life does a lot. Get a blast from this and you'll surely rethink your opinion."

"Just sell your damn flowers already."

Aerith smiled before dematerializing her weapon. "Gladly."

Assuming his previous position, Cloud distanced himself away from her and stood by the sidelines near some shop. Under a regular setting, people would be disturbed by a figure like his to just stand around doing nothing, but the people around here seemed quite used to his almost demonizing aura as they continued their business without batting a single eyelash at him.

Cloud felt like he was taking care of a kid as he watched the cheerful woman advertise her crisp flowers to the unyielding residents. His first impression of hers still remained, but it slightly changed. There was definitely a shift in attitude when the topic landed on her Ancient heritage back at Wall Market, but before he could figure it out, she quickly masked it with that usual smile of hers. It irritated him slightly, that smile.

"Lookie what we got here? Didn't the man himself excuse him just a couple of hours ago? Back so soon, eh?"

Cloud whipped his head to meet the eyes of Biggs once more. Behind him stood Tifa and Barrett this time. "We're about to go slay some monsters for patrol. In the mood to do two jobs today?"

"Still on duty," Cloud sighed, eyes moving back towards Aerith. The three followed his gaze to look at the flower girl.

" _She's_ the Cetra?" Barrett exclaimed in surprise. "I've seen her cruising around before, selling those wee little flowers of hers. I thought she'd be an oldie with the 'last Cetra on the Planet' junk."

"You say anything about her identity and," Cloud did one smooth horizontal motion at his neck with one hand, "this goes off for you."

"So sworn to secrecy, huh?" said Tifa, eyes curious as she studied the brunette. "Wonder how she can still roam the streets without the publicity."

"Probably because no one really cares enough to find out. Knowing who she is doesn't keep the money rolling," Biggs grumbled.

Cloud had to agree on that. Despite being the last of an almost-exotic race, it was nothing more than just a title to people nowadays. There was no relativity of her origins and background anymore to current society; only due to this reason was she able to live a somewhat normal life across Midgar. She mentioned something about being chased by Shinra earlier, which wasn't a surprise with how the electric company was obsessed with the idea of an unlimited source of mako, but he wondered what happened in the past for Elmyra to insist on a bodyguard still despite Shinra's downfall. Shinra scientists were on a whole other level, but they were gone. He pondered…

But he didn't think of it much further. It wasn't his business—he was just here for the money. Then he looked at Tifa, who caught his gaze and smiled warmly.

And for her.

"Well," Tifa rubbed his shoulder soothingly, "We'll return you to your duties. Must be hard being a bodyguard, hm?"

Cloud rolled his eyes. "Very."

"If you ever get to be friendly with her, bring her over to the bar. I'm sure she would be lovely compan—"

Tifa didn't get to finish her sentence when a yell broke out in the center. Cloud tensed and instinctively grabbed the hilt of his sword as his fierce eyes scanned for the situation. His feet were quick to dash when he saw Aerith's figure kneeling on the floor, her flowers spilled with some slightly crushed.

"Stop it with your marketing—no one wants to buy these darn, useless things!" an older man barked as he towered over Aerith's fallen figure. She struggled to get up as her foot accidentally caught onto the hems of her own long-length dress. "I thought it was clear before."

"I'm sorry, sir," Aerith managed to say, bringing her attention to gathering her flowers instead of immediately standing. "But I'm sure you would enjoy its beauty if you—"

"Do these things feed me?"

Aerith grimaced. "It could feed you in a different way if you gave them a chance."

"Why you—"

"Aerith," she heard Cloud's voice call for her. As an instinctive defense mechanism, Cloud tightened the hold on the hilt of his sword, but Aerith's sharp voice—he never thought he could hear it sound like that—pierced his actions.

"Don't you dare draw that sword, Cloud, or you're _instantly_ fired," she spat. He hadn't planned on doing so—there was no point drawing his sword against a defenseless old man—but Aerith must've thought otherwise.

"Oh, it's just you, Cloud," the old man grumbled. "Should've told me she was an acquaintance of yours." Before Cloud could shove it up his ass with a few words, he left the scene, not wanting to attract anymore attention to himself and the store he ran. Cloud clicked his tongue in annoyance at his escape before he helped Aerith gather all her flowers and stand up. She gratefully grabbed onto his wrists to steady herself.

"Whew, that could've gone messy," laughed the young woman, all the tension disappearing from her voice and her facial features. "My hero."

"You alright?"

"Dandy."

Cloud furrowed his eyebrows; he couldn't read the brunette at all. One moment she was near furious at him and the idea of him drawing his weapon, and the next she was all smiley as if nothing happened. The only evidence that proved the prior engagement was the crushed flowers.

He let go of her when he realized he was holding onto her for too long while in his thoughts. He could hear the footsteps of his gang joining them as he watched the girl brush off any visible specks of dust on her white dress.

"Everything alright?" Tifa asked worriedly. Aerith blinked at the young and beautiful woman that greeted her before nodding happily.

"Never been better!"

"Old Beck never gives it up, does he?" Barrett rumbled. "Don't pay the old fool another second. His grumpy-ass attitude is infamous around here.

"No worries here, I'm sure he has his reasons."

"What happened to fending for yourself? Where's all the talk?" Cloud interrupted all her attempts to remain joyous. In fact, he was quite agitated. His eyes were off of hers for just one second and something instantly happened. It made him feel like he wasn't doing his job correctly, something that took a hit at his pride a bit.

"Right here." On cue, Aerith materialized her staff once more, jolting Cloud by surprise again. He huffed an irritated breath before he pushed the staff away from his face.

"Can you stop it with that?" he growled. He then eyed her basket. "Are you done for the day?"

Aerith shook her head. "It hasn't even been half an hour yet. You want me to go stalking home with this many left?" She waved the nearly-full basket of flowers in her hand for emphasis.

"Doesn't seem like business is booming to me."

He stiffened when Aerith took a flower and put it behind the strap of his shirt again, just like last time. Then, to his friends who still had concern evident in their eyes, she handed each of them a flower as well with a kind twinkle in her eyes.

"Well, it is now, isn't it?"

All his energy was drained just by exchanging three sentences with her. Seeing how it was useless to fight her about what "business" meant and "profits," Cloud dropped it. With no one hurt and everyone minding their own business again, he eased back into his relaxed state.

"He's a hard guy, but," Biggs harshly patted Cloud's back, earning a groan of complaint from the blond, "He's a nice guy. Just quiet. And a bit of an ass sometimes."

"'Sometimes' my ass, more like 'most of the time,'" Barrett sneered. Cloud, like always, refrained from saying anything back to the big man. Aerith chuckled gleefully, glad to be under the audience of his comrades. Tifa studied the flower, connecting two and two together.

"So you're the one who gave him the flower. Of course—it's strange for Cloud to bring such a gentlemanly-like thing back to us," she laughed, twirling the beautiful flower in her hands. "This'll join the other on in the vase. Thank you…"

"Aerith," the brunette finished for her. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet _you_. It's quite an honor," Barrett replied. Cloud held his forehead with a hand—so much for keeping it down under. As a result, Aerith shot the blond a look, who received it by looking the opposite direction at the sky.

"They're not going to spill. _Right?_ " Cloud shot all of them an intense gaze.

"Yessir," all three of them replied, seriously to Aerith and mockingly to Cloud.

"So do you guys get the job done by just standing around?" Cloud jerked his head towards the direction of the hunt—a signal for them to scram and get going. He didn't like it when his friends saw him in the middle of work. The whole bodyguard thing was an awkward job for him too, and to hell would he let his acquaintances just gawk and make fun of him behind his back.

"We're going, we're going. Have fun dealing with Cloud, Ms. Aerith," Biggs smirked before he swung his rifle over his shoulder. "Let's get going, guys, or else we're going to get frozen with those mako eyes of his."

"See you later, Cloud," Tifa waved.

"Bye."

And the three left to go hunt down the monsters. When Cloud turned back to look at Aerith, he could already sense the troubling questions she was going to pound him with.

"So, you gave your flower to that girl? Is she your girlfriend?"

He couldn't say yes, but he couldn't say no either, so he settled with, "It's not like that."

"So you _do_ have friends."

"Did it seem like the opposite?"

"Well, of course, with this rock-hard personality of yours!" For effect, Aerith knocked on his bare shoulder blade with the back of her finger. "Good to see that you got people who can look past your cold exterior."

Cloud didn't answer to that. This time, Aerith was sure that he was just tired of her rambling instead of being speechless, but unbeknownst to her, Cloud was the latter.

When Aerith resumed selling her flowers, she only managed to give some to the curious children that had bumped into her by the light's last rays. They had asked her what they were, and she answered with, "Children of the Planet. Here, have one." Of course, none of them understood what she meant by that. She graciously gave out five flowers for the five children. All of them held the stem curiously and felt the strange, velvety texture of the petals. One even accidentally ripped a petal off in mortification.

"I broke it!" she cried. However, Aerith bent down and soothed the young girl.

"You didn't break it. Rest assured, this petal," Aerith picked it up and showed it to her, "will go to a happy place. It'll wait for its friends, of course," and she gestured towards the other petals left on the flower stalk.

Once the children's fascination of the flowers faded away, the five of them excused themselves to continue playing before the night settled in. One even dropped the flower by accident, but didn't turn back to pick it up. Cloud, who had stayed closer to her side this time so that she wouldn't have anymore distasteful encounters with the brutes of this sector, observed as Aerith carefully made her way to pick up the flower, appeared to soothe it with a soft touch, and placed it back into her basket.

The Aerith who spoke silliness to him and the Aerith that spoke to the nature around her were almost two different entities. Cloud couldn't fathom how such a thing could be possible. Rather, he couldn't fathom how a person could cope with that.

"So, why do you sell flowers around parts like these?" he asked when she retreated from the center and stood with him by the side. She continued to train her watchful gaze on the bustles of the residents, who still seemed very active despite nightfall. Cloud didn't need to explain himself nor his question—it was pretty self-explanatory. With a second day with her, it was clear that she did not sell flowers to make profit.

"You've said you read some literature about the Ancient?" Aerith hummed.

"Somewhat."

"Humans used to be the Ancients themselves, until they lost their connection to the Planet as civilization grew," she explained. Cloud was still on the same page. "Now here we are, and flowers are considered a rarity. It's not even hard to grow."

Cloud grew silent, having a hard time relating to what Aerith was talking about. He simply casted it off as an Ancient thing—something only she understood—but it irked him in a strange way when he tried to accept that type of rationalization.

"You want to share your experience with nature with others?" Cloud tried to understand. However, he knew he missed the mark a bit when Aerith chuckled lightly.

"Kind of. More like…"

Cloud remained unmoving when Aerith turned to face his chest where his newly-obtained flower hung, borderline invading his personal space. She clasped her hands together, almost like a prayer, as she closed her eyes. A part of him wanted to ask what she was doing, but another part told him no, that he would be disrupting something important if he spoke a word. She didn't remain in the position long enough for him to feel incredibly awkward. When she removed herself and gave him more space, she showed him a gentle closed-mouth smile.

"Establishing connections. Even if it's just one-way, from the Planet to the people. As the last living Ancient on this Planet, I believe that is the least I could do for my people and our home," Aerith finished. When she received nothing more but a slightly wrinkled forehead tinged with a bit of confusion, her attitude shifted to something more lighthearted to remove the weight she unintentionally placed on him. "Weird, huh? But flowers are pretty! Don't you think other people would feel the same if they saw them up close?"

"Yeah," Cloud breathed. That was the only thing he could say as a response as he looked away from her brilliant green eyes. Despite the intangible concepts, unrelatable purpose, and most certainly _confusing_ topic, only one simple thought touched his mind about Aerith's view of the world.

_It's…_

"Beautiful! Look!" Aerith pointed a finger at a bunch of people who ignited a few sparklers to illuminate the proximal night. There was no special occasion, but to these people, there wasn't a need for a concrete reason to see something exciting and pretty after a long days' worth of work. "I've never played with fireworks before. Elmyra said it would be too dangerous for me when I was a kid."

"You're missing out," replied Cloud. "Maybe convince her sometime again."

"Perhaps."

When Aerith finally called it a day, it wasn't long before Cloud saw her off at her front door for the second day since the he started the job. She had insisted to go home alone since she thought it "absolutely absurd" for him to walk to Sector 5 only to come back to Sector 7 just to deliver her to her door. However, he didn't have the intention of losing his job so soon.

"Well, I'll give you a day off or two for the next few days," said Aerith. "Got my own things to run around here in Sector 5 on the weekends. Luckily for you, you won't be getting a text from me until the next weekday."

Cloud couldn't hold back from his showing his relief and breathed out a happy sigh from this mini vacation. She rolled her eyes at his reaction and patted him on the shoulder. "But don't keep me waiting next time!"

"Let's ask Elmyra right now to clarify who has the schedule flexibility," Cloud retorted as he mockingly threatened to bust through her front door. She shielded him from coming close to it with her entire body, arms outstretched, as her head shook desperately.

"Okay, okay, _fine._ I won't pressure you to get here faster, but do spare me a thought or two when you keep me waiting, why don't you?"

He scoffed. "I'll think about it."

"Better that than a no. I'll see you then!"

When she faced away from him to enter her home, he swiveled his feet to go about the same path back to Sector 7. He stopped in his motion and turned back around when he noticed how she also did the same.

"I—"

"—I"

The two of them stared at each other with only the small candle that hung above her front door as a source of light. The rest of their facial features were carved dimly by the moonlight.

"You first," Aerith insisted. With the spotlight put on him along with her expectant gaze, it made it harder for him to spit out the words he wanted to say to her back at Sector 7. He was expecting her to laugh at his tumble with words, but she patiently waited for him to form his thoughts. It was as if she knew about his inability to form a string of meaningful and coherent phrases.

"What you told me back there," he began, "with the flowers." Then, he paused before speaking again. "It's not weird—at least to me." He thought about how Beck crushed her flowers and how the children carelessly tossed them, leaving them forgotten and unwanted. When he thought about how frequent she made her trips to the sectors, he wondered if this was the type of treatment she always received. It didn't sit well with him. "This connection thing—I don't get it. But at the same time, it sounds important, and if it sounds important to someone like me, then I don't think you should ever stop."

Aerith's mouth parted slightly as she lost herself in stupor at his words. "Cloud…"

"That's all I wanted to say tonight," he ended curtly. He didn't want to hear any of her feedback; he feared that hearing her response would make him regret his choice in voicing his insignificant opinion. "What did you wanted to say?"

"Nothing much. I just wanted to thank you for a good job today," was the only thing she could muster.

He nodded. "Got it."

When he moved his head a bit, the light from the candle made his mako-infused eyes glisten like a shiny coat of gel. His eyes almost seemed glowing beneath the darkness; it almost made her gasp out loud. Those eyes—they took her back in time.

"Is something wrong?"

Aerith blinked, and her daydream ended just like that. Suddenly, his face seemed a lot closer and a lot more uncomfortable.

"Sorry," she quickly apologized, backing away from him. "I just thought your eyes…" she smiled, "I haven't seen its color in a really long time."

"Sorry. Scared?"

"Scared?" Aerith frowned, her embarrassment quick to evaporate. "Sorry? Why are you sorry? And why would I be scared?"

A dumb "uh" slipped between his open mouth. He snapped it shut before setting his jaw; she could see how his facial muscles tensed as it rippled by the edge of his face. She entered a sensitive topic—a secretive topic—that caused his gaze to become all steely, and that was what made her scared.

"Hey."

Cloud let out a quiet gasp, one that was barely audible between their ears and in the windless air, when he felt the gentle touch of her fingertips onto his cheek. Instantly, the tension he drew on his jaw slackened as he looked at her with orbs of bewilderment.

Aerith gave him an encouraging smile before she let her hand drop. "That's more like it; you're handsomer like this, without a tight face."

"S-sure," he stuttered, losing his footing and his cool. Not wanting to trap him with her overwhelming presence anymore, she took him by the shoulders and turned him around.

"Go back on home, it's cold out here!" She then gave him a tiny push forward. "I'll see you in a few days!" He turned back to look at her one last time before he heeded her advice and stalked his way back to Sector 7. She watched his back shrink for just a couple of seconds before she entered her home and closed the door behind her. With a click, she locked the door and leaned her back against it. She didn't expect to end the day with her mind deep in thoughts.

_Cloud, who are you?_

Back at 7th Heaven with the "CLOSED" sign flipped outwards on the doors of the entrance, the crew minus Cloud sat with their drinks in hand, ready to toast another weekend of rest and relaxation. Jessie had brought some of her renown pizza over for everyone to share. Paired with Tifa's drinks, the night greeted them gleefully in spirits.

"Cloud's kind of late, huh?" said Jessie. "Didn't know his hours stretched this long."

"Does his job even _have_ set hours? Seems like an endless shift to me," Biggs shook his head, unable to fathom how anybody could work without expecting when their next break would be. By the sink, Tifa changed the water of the vase filled now with four yellow flowers. She held it outstretched from her body to appreciate its beauty before displaying it on the bar countertop.

"Maybe the bodyguarding gig comes with a couple of odd jobs," Barrett said. "Cetra Girl seemed to have enough guts to boss around Spiky."

"How was she, how was she? Darn, I missed meeting her," Jessie exclaimed. "Is it true, how the rumors say she is? Graceful and majestic?"

"Graceful in pissing off ol' Beck. You should've seen Cloud—almost pulled the Buster out on the fellow it seemed like 'cause the Ancient nearly fired him on the spot. It was _hilarious_ ," Biggs guffawed.

"Well, all that sounds pretty exciting," interjected Wedge for the first time. He was too preoccupied with the pizza.

"She seems to be a sweetie," Tifa put in her two cents as she came over from the counter and sat next to Jessie at one of the round tables. "Personality fits the sunshine. I'm sure Cloud will get along with her just fine."

"Not afraid to get your man stolen?" Jessie giggled. "You might have competition."

"Jessie!" Tifa gasped, cheeks immediately staining pink. "You know it's not like that."

Everyone gave her _the_ look.

"Really, Tifa, really?" Barrett shook his head and stood up. "This talk is too young for me. Count my ass out of here."

"Bye, Barrett," everyone droned synchronously.

"Cloud's only gentle towards you. The sexual tension between you two is just too unbearable," Jessie sighed. She looked at her drink before she downed all of it in one go. Tifa stared at her incredulously, wondering what had gotten into the girl. "If it weren't for you, Tifa, he would've been my meal already."

"Excuse m— _what?_ "

Everyone on the table laughed at Tifa's innocent reaction towards Jessie's lewd comment. The brunette swung an affectionate arm around the raven-haired's shoulders as an apology for the tease.

"I'm just kidding, I'm just kidding. But you know, despite your appearances, you're just too shy around him. Do you honestly think he would be the one to initiate anything?"

Before this over-visited subject could become another full-blown discussion at their table, the closed doors of the bar swung open to reveal a Cloud with a wearisome expression on his face.

"Cloud, you're back!" Wedge greeted. He offered him a pizza slice on a plate. "Want some?"

"No, thanks," the blond muttered before taking the vacant seat next to Jessie and Biggs. He settled his sword against the adjacent table. "Where's Barrett?"

"Gone home, probably. He just left," Jessie jerked a thumb over at the entrance. Her movements were sloppy though, and she accidentally jabbed Cloud on the shoulder. "Woops, sorry."

"He's not the only one who needs to go home," Cloud remarked. Jessie giggled, and he knew he was in for another one of her flirtatious, drunken tantrums as she leaned her head on the side of his arm.

"Want to take me home then?"

He pushed her off, though making sure he didn't bend her head in a painful angle.

"Biggs, mind taking her home?"

"Nope. Gotcha buddy. You're going too, Wedge."

"I am?"

" _Yes_ ," and Biggs sent a wink towards Tifa away from Cloud's view. Tifa could only question him with her eyes. Before they knew it, Cloud and Tifa found themselves alone in the closed bar.

"You look more tired than when you had to help someone move from Sector 6 to Sector 1. How is that possible?" Tifa slid him her drink, which he took a swig from. His face instantly scrunched up in disgust, causing a light laugh from the woman that bounced off the walls.

"A job's a job—tiring," he said. "All this train traveling isn't my thing either."

"Traveling the underground pathways is then, hm?" she countered with a quirked eyebrow.

"You got me there."

Tifa rolled her eyes before she reached over to his side and plucked the yellow flower off of his chest for a second time. "Keep doing this, and we're going to have bouquets on every table in this bar."

"That's probably likely," he grumbled. Seeing how he was a bit quieter than usual, Tifa didn't want him to stay much longer with her. He could've just gone straight to his place, but instead, he chose to swing by the bar. _How sweet._

"Alright, up and at 'em!" Tifa stood up, pulling Cloud up as well by the arm. "Shall we head back to our rooms?"

"Mhm."

Cloud eyed the yellow flower in Tifa's hand before signaling with a light swing of a hand towards the direction of the vase. "Shouldn't you put that thing in the water first?"

"Oh, yes. Right," and she scurried behind the counter to cut the stem and plop the flower in so that it could join its friends. That made it five.

"What are you smiling about?"

"Me?" Tifa's unintentional grin dropped from her face when Cloud pointed it out. "Nothing, nothing." Tifa simply found it oddly cute of Cloud to suddenly make an effort to care about something as simple as a flower. "Let's go home, shall we?"


	3. Chapter 3

It felt as if some ominous weight kept crushing on his chest, never unyielding as he tossed and turned in his bed. Even with any position change, the force never lessened—it almost felt like it strengthened. Darkness—that was all he saw, and blurs of random events that he couldn't understand. Where was he? His bed? His room? He almost didn't know amidst his struggle.

It wasn't until the splitting headache that came along with an urgent knock on the door broke him from his restless slumber.

"Cloud, are you okay?"

His eyes shot open when he woke up from sleep. His senses keen, he felt the familiar rush of adrenaline when he heard the foreign knocking, but when he recognized the soft voice, he calmed. Throwing the sheets off his lower body, Cloud clumsily swung his feet over the bedside and went over to the door. He opened it, revealing a very concerned, and sleepy, Tifa, whose ruby eyes reflected the moonlight. He let her in before he closed the door and went back to sit on his bed, elbows on knees as he took a few seconds to steady his breath again.

"Is it happening again?"

He felt the bed sink a little bit under weight when Tifa sat close by his side. Her soothing hand rubbed his back comfortingly, and he shivered a little unintentionally when her warm hand met the cold skin of his shoulder. "It hasn't happened in a while."

"It's fine," replied Cloud gruffly. A shaky exhale, and he shook his head. "You didn't need to come over."

His room seemed so barren. No decorations, no furniture—just a bed on one side and a small closet on the other. His sword leaned on the wall by his bed, always ready to be at his disposal lest someone suddenly decided to thief his valueless room. Tifa bit the bottom of her lip as she tried to think of words to tell him; it was always during these times where she felt the farthest away from him, no matter how intimate they got within each other's spaces.

"It's hard to ignore you when I can even hear your rustling through my walls," she murmured.

"Sorry."

"You really don't want to talk about it?" Tifa wanted to reach out for his hand to hold, but she was too scared to. She wouldn't know what she would do if he just rejected it and pulled away.

"It's fine," he repeated, and Tifa dropped the subject.

"Would you like me to get some water?" She didn't wait for him to reply as she went over to the corner where a bunch of water bottles laid. Cracking one open, she handed it to Cloud, who took it wordlessly and downed half of it in one go.

"Thanks."

Tifa sat back down and miscalculated the space. Her thigh rubbed electrically against his leg during her descent while her shoulder bumped into his. The suddenness of it all made his eyes meet hers in a pulsing gaze as they turned towards each other. Cloud leaned a hand against his bed on the space behind her as he straightened his back a bit, shortening the distance between their faces to a mere ten inches.

"I think you should go," he breathed after a while of basking in each other's presence. And he removed himself and retracted his figure away from hers. Her lump lodged her throat, rendering her unable to spit out a word in time, but she swallowed it away and managed a small smile.

"Alright." Before she made her entrance out, she made one last note. "Cloud…"

"Hm?"

"We're all here for you, you know."

"… I know."

"Good. See you in the morning."

"Night."

And the door closed with a lock, leaving him alone in his small room once more. Cloud laid back into bed and closed his eyes. A part of him did wonder: how long will this continue?

The following morning greeted the weekday. Now that Cloud had something similar to an actual job now with the bodyguarding ordeal, there wasn't much he could do with his days off during the weekend. He helped Tifa do some deliveries and the gang with some of the monster hunts, but other than that, his days went by uneventful. Uneventful as they were, he enjoyed it a lot better than bodyguarding; it was more peaceful and less unsettling.

His peace was broken when he spotted an Aerith talking whimsically with Tifa as they entered the Sector 7 area. Cloud thought he was hallucinating, and it took him quite a bit to not take off his gloves just to rub his eyes. He even took the effort to sift through his memories just in case his mind was messing with him again this morning. No, he did not pick her up nor did he bring her over today.

"Aerith," Cloud said between his teeth when he made his way towards the two women. The glower on his face was enough to signal his unhappiness. Tifa, who didn't understand what the guidelines of his job were, looked at him curiously.

"Why do you look so mad, Cloud? Ah, Aerith came over to visit today."

"No shit," he spat. Alarmed, Tifa stepped back and let the two talk it out.

"Morning!" came the chippy voice. Aerith tilted her head at him in merriment as she held out a hand as a wave. Her usual flower basket swung on her arm as she regarded him cheerfully. "Not the best way to greet the morning with that frown of yours, but I'm sure that'll change throughout the day."

"What the hell are you doing? Elmyra—"

"Thought you came and picked me up, so I went out the door." With two fingers, she walked them in the air. "Didn't suspect a thing. Gosh, why so uptight, it's _just_ a train ride away!" she tried to convince him when his hard stare never faded away from his face. "I came to pick you up! The roles have been switched for today. Tifa here so kindly led me the way."

"What's the point of my job then?"

Aerith's playful smile dropped when she realized that Cloud wasn't having any of it right now unless she took it seriously. She glanced at Tifa, who awkwardly listened as she stood by the side, and seeing how Cloud didn't care about her presence at the moment, she sighed.

"It's Elmyra's wishes. But don't worry, I won't rat you out. Take your job a little easier. After all," Aerith's mouth crinkled in an almost ironic smile, "I've been on my own before any bodyguard waltzed through my door."

If Aerith thought he was a SOLDIER before, she still thought so now. His cold gaze regarded her critically as he danced with the thought of a job with such loose guidelines—typical of a SOLDIER. Knowing the attitude of one, she knew just the trick to get him to understand.

His mouth opened, but before he said a word, he drew his sword first when a spell suddenly shot at him. He rolled backwards to ease the recoil of the reflection, and his eyes never darted so fast before towards the woman who shot at him with her materialized staff.

"Despite being my bodyguard, I've never seen your skill," said Aerith, brow up on her forehead. She shot another spell at him, and this time, he blocked it with ease now that he expected it. Their little dual was away from the stores and the people, so the two didn't think twice as they held their weapons at each other.

"Guys, maybe you should talk it out?" Tifa tried to intervene. Her words flew away in the wind when Aerith continued shooting at him. He rushed at her, not to swing his sword but to grab onto her to stop her madness. What he didn't expect was for her to dodge his movement so gracefully with a skip. Continuing to hold his sword in front of him to protect from her spells, he felt so clumsy as his feet stumbled in all sorts of different directions to catch up to the tumbling woman.

"Would you stop it?" Cloud growled, way past the point of annoyance. Aerith shook her head.

"Not until you get it."

She spoke too soon. When she least expected it, he ran up to her with such speed that a gasp let out from her throat. He grabbed her magical staff with a tight grip, used it to twirl her around, and swung his arm around her neck in a tight but painless headlock from behind her. His other hand that held his sword swung behind him to strap it back onto his back, silently ending their silly battle.

"Enough?" he questioned. He had to turn his head a certain way so that the soft tendrils of her hair didn't stick up all over his face. Aerith tried to tear his arm off of her with her two hands as she dematerialized her staff but quickly gave up when his muscles wouldn't budge.

"Okay, you pass," Aerith laughed. She patted his arm. "Yield, yield."

Cloud breathed a tired sigh—it was only the morning too. With the little fight over, his mind returned to its senses when he realized what he just did to his employer's daughter. The softness of her body against his steeled one made him flustered as he instantly let her go.

"I'm not hurt from your manhandling, no worries," Aerith assured, already reading what went through his mind. "But I hope you can understand what I mean when I said I can protect myself and let me at least spare you from all the tedious tasks—like walking me back from Sector 7 when you're going to have to go back anyway."

When he didn't answer, she took it happily as a yes.

"You guys had me so worried," Tifa exasperated as she came up towards them. She had been by the sidelines, watching all of it unfold. "I thought it would escalate and become a wild-goose chase all throughout the sector. Cloud, really? Did you really have to pull out the Buster against her?"

"She legit _shot_ at me," he refuted, orbs incredulous at Tifa. "What, you think I would want to wholeheartedly get blasted?"

"I'm just kidding, relax." Tifa looked at Aerith, making sure she was one piece. "You got skill to annoy Cloud the way you do."

"Thanks, I'll take that as a compliment."

When Cloud accepted the job as a bodyguard, much to Tifa's delight, he thought of it as a simple task. Follow the girl wherever she went and bring her home when she was done. He would mind his own business and have some time to think for himself as he did the job. Unfortunately, he was foolish to even think of the job as a leisure. His image of the job was basic, at best: impersonal and easy while making bank.

So when he sat with Aerith at 7th Heaven while he grudgingly listened to her conversation with Tifa by the counter top, he thought about how he wouldn't have accepted the job if he knew how the Ancient's presence would be completely invading his personal life. Tifa invited Aerith to come by her bar before Cloud and her went over to Sector 3 to sell her flowers.

"Aw, you're taking such good care of the flowers," Aerith smiled as she slid the vase closer to her so that she could inspect her work. Her eyes moved to look at the tips that were magnified by the water and blinked. "You knew to cut the stems diagonally too, Tifa."

"It wasn't me," Tifa said knowingly. She jerked a thumb over to Cloud, who really didn't appreciate his exposure. "He told me to cut it that way!"

"Oh?" Aerith scooted closer to his side, and he scooted away. There was only so much space he could cover in these stationary seats. He could feel his nervousness peak slightly with the way she observed him with amused eyes. "So what happened to the flower or my freedom?" She quoted the air, knowing well that he knew her reference to their conversation the first night he escorted her home.

"At the end, I'm the one who has a say in both, isn't it?" he retorted, but it was a lot meeker than his previous counters.

"Another one for your service," Aerith teased before she plucked another flower from her basket, snipped it with her the pair of scissors she always carried with her in her basket, and plopped it into the vase. "That makes six."

"Don't you sell these, Aerith? Here, how much are they?" Tifa busied her hands to find spare change in her pockets, but Aerith shooed her advances with a hand.

"No need. I'm just glad they're being taken care of. I think that's enough for me."

There it was again—the Aerith that he was felt too foreign with no matter how hard he tried to understand her. Every time she subtly used her Ancient powers to tend to the life in her hands, it was as if his eyes were put under a spell—a trance. Cloud couldn't remove his gaze from her as she felt the flower petals again with her fingertips softly and gently; they were the same fingertips that graced his face the other night in a brief but feverish touch.

He suddenly grew hot, and he blamed it on the drink in his hands.

"Are you okay? It's not alcoholic—perhaps you didn't get enough rest last night?" Tifa noticed the slight flush on his cheeks. He blinked at her, caught off guard for being suddenly called out.

"Maybe," he said. He flinched out of instinct when he felt Tifa's hand on his forehead to check for a fever before he relaxed. Clearing his throat when she finished, he gave her a quizzical look. "Well?"

"Go do a good job guarding Aerith," Tifa smiled. By the side, Aerith had her lips shaped as if to whistle while watching the two interact.

Once they finished, Cloud accompanied Aerith with her travels to Sector 3. When they stood by the train station waiting for the train to arrive, Aerith had a creepy grin about her face the entire time, something he just couldn't stop from inquiring about.

"Nothing, nothing. I just learned something about you today."

"What is it?"

"You are just _bad_ with women, aren't you?" Aerith daringly slipped an arm around his elbow, pulling her figure snug against his side. Cloud instantly backed away, but there wasn't much where he could move with her locking him place. "Tifa's going to get stolen away and move on from you, you know, if you don't act fast."

"Excuse me?"

Aerith chortled and leaned her head against his shoulder this time. He didn't even try to pull away; he had a good guess that she was just messing with him and trying to get him all riled up. Number one rule he learned by being out in the fields of battle: always show calm in front of the enemy.

"You totally just thought I was some sort of fiend, didn't you?"

"'Course not."

"Girls love a romantic man," Aerith sighed dreamily as a joke. "A bit on the flirtatious side is okay too. It's what makes it fun."

"You seem experienced."

"Well, of course!" She swung her head forward so that she could see his face and smiled. "A fair maiden like me is never going to walk down the streets without getting hit on at least once. That's where you come in."

"Are you trying to imply that I beat anyone up who tries to get at you?" Cloud deadpanned. He knew what she meant, but he wasn't in the mood to play along.

"Bodyguarding is just one side of the job. The other is to ward off the evilness of courting."

"Sounds like a personal problem." He grunted in pain when she squeezed his arm tighter.

"It's going to be yours soon when I get swept off my feet in the middle of your job when you're not looking. Watch me elope through the sectors with my newfound husband of three minutes—we'll make more Ancient babies!"

Cloud smirked with a light chuckle. "I'd wish you happiness then."

"A smile!" She let go of him and stood to face him full-front. His smirk instantly dropped to be replaced by his usual cool expression again. "That was cute, do it again."

"No."

"Aw, come on. You'd have all the women at your feet!"

Slowly and slowly, Cloud was getting used to her constant teasing and meaningless flirting. Jessie was a lot worse than this. "No thanks." Aerith gave him another smile before she dropped it; no need indeed if he already had someone in his mind.

Sector 3 was a lot friendlier than Sector 7 since she frequented the area quite often. She even knew some of the residents that lived there and struck up small talk whenever someone she knew came by. Once more, Cloud watched by the sidelines as her cheery energy spread throughout the slums. He also found out how she wasn't lying when there were men who tried to do more than just small talk, but the grace she had with her mouth and words impressed him. He didn't need to step in on any of her conversations, even when some guy felt her up on her arm, because the wittiness of her speech was enough to drive the men away with a flower or two in their hands without any hard feelings. He was impressed, and he wasn't scared to show it.

"See my charms now?" said Aerith when he wouldn't stop staring at her.

"No, but I see what you mean now by being able to get around by your own. I underestimated you."

"Great to know that you finally see it."

They stuck around for another hour before they headed home with an empty basket. Cloud found that his conscience felt better seeing how the people in Sector 3 obviously appreciated her efforts more than his own sector.

"Third day on the job and you're doing mighty fine," complimented Aerith when they stood at the familiar front of her home again. "Mom's got good connections. Hey, do you take on multiple odd jobs or?"

"I'm not selling flowers with you," Cloud said blatantly, already knowing what she was hinting at. "I don't do double duty for the same person."

"Shucks," Aerith snapped her fingers, "Could've had you plant some seeds in the burrows at the back of my home. Let me know when you change your mind—I'm sure gardening would help soften you right up."

Cloud crossed his arms. "Don't count on it."

"Playing the tough guy act until the very end, I see. I'll unveil you some day!"

"Hmph." With his eyebrows, he signaled for her to get inside. With a nod, Aerith waved him a goodbye before she unlocked her door. The moonlight shined so brightly outside along with the soft crickets of the night insects that Aerith thought the night would pass by peacefully. Sadly, she thought too soon when she heard Cloud bump into the wall of her house.

"Cloud?"

He had lost his balance for a little bit as he leaned on the wall for support. His hand clutched his head for a brief moment before he regained himself and shook his head.

"It's nothing. Go on inside."

Cloud looked at her, expecting her to make a joke about how he must've been so tired to just lose his footing like that, but he was startled when she held a gaze on him in a way she never did before. It was serious, analytical, and concerned. She saw the flicker in his eyes—the mako that stained not only his life, but his identity.

"What?" he questioned uncomfortably.

She didn't say anything. When she continued looking at him, he had a feeling that it just wasn't his outer appearance she was looking at. When he was about to question her again, she grabbed his hand and pulled him inside her house.

"Come."

"What's wro— _oof_ ," he stumbled on an elevated step of her home. He didn't have time to adjust to the light of her kitchen nor its design before she led him up the stairs and into her room. "Hey, what are you—"

Aerith took him by the arm and forced him to sit down on her bed. Her movements were too sudden—he wasn't going to cooperate with her if he didn't know what the deal was.

"I can feel it from you. It hurts," Aerith breathed as her only explanation. She sat down next to him, her face scrunched up in an expression that seemed similar to pain, but not quite. His harsh scrutiny quickly went away when it dawned on him that she was actually going through something.

"Wait, what's wrong?" He propped her up by gripping her shoulders when her figure started to lean to the side a bit in an unstable manner. Before he could do anything to make her feel better, it came: the splitting headache. " _Hng!_ "

One hand took itself to cradle his head while the other continued to hold onto her shoulder. He felt like his skull was going to crack open as he tried to keep his groaning to a minimum. His memories flashed before his eyes in a green and luminous form, almost as if they had to be drenched and swamped with the green before they presented themselves to him. "Ugh!"

His childhood, his present, the falsity—it was as if all of it was mixed together in dough, kneaded and pressed until they became uniform and invariable. The scenes that played came in chopped sequences, like puzzle pieces forced to fit together despite the varying sizes. It was only when Aerith pressed her forehead against his when everything rewound and neatly tucked themselves back in his conscience, bit by bit.

Cloud panted, out of breath as his eyes remained closed and hands fell back to his sides. He sought refuge in Aerith's touch as she clasped her hands together in a prayer. Her forehead felt comforting against his, oddly giving him a sense of security as the effects of the headache slowly faded away. When he regained his senses, he could feel the fatigue that washed over him from such a simple thing as a headache. He opened his eyes, but they remained half-lidded as they inspected the small details of Aerith's delicate face that was so close to his. When he made a motion to detach himself away from her, her voice cut in.

"Hold on," Aerith muttered. A soft green glow circled the two of them, but it came as quick as it disappeared. Within that instant, the side-effects of his excruciating headache disappeared as if it never was there in the first place. "There." Aerith fell backwards away from him, and it was her that switched places with him and the fatigue. Cloud didn't have a single clue about what she just did, but it must've tired her out. The usual brilliance that lined her irises grew a bit duller as she sat on her bed with tucked knees.

"W-what?" That was the only thing he could say as he felt his head. It felt light and almost ridden free of what had plagued him for so long. However, he knew it was just tucked away, waiting for a time to strike him again.

"It's mako poisoning, isn't it?"

His breath hitched, and with the quietness of her room, Aerith could hear it. No longer half-lidded, his eyes were wide on her. The questions that swam in them like they always did whenever he spoke to her couldn't contain themselves anymore, for they started to show in his physical stature as well with the way his forehead became creased, his mouth became parted, and his hands became shaky. Under her gaze, he felt so exposed.

He hated it.

"Shut up," he said sharply. "Shut up," he repeated.

"You were bathed in it for a long time." It wasn't a question.

"Shut up!" His chest heaved, and all sorts of thoughts raced through his head. It went from how he felt so unraveled to how he never should've taken up the job if he knew he was going to meet someone like her. Someone who—

"Invaded your privacy, right?" Aerith laughed, but the merriment disappeared. It was dry—empty. "Sorry, you looked like you were in so much pain. So I touched into the part of you that will always be infused with the mako you came in contact with."

"How did you—"

"I speak with nature and all of the Planet's inhabitants. Wouldn't you say humans are part of the trade as well?" She kept interrupting him. It was as if she didn't want to hear his questions out loud. Looking away in shame, she sighed as her eyes fixed themselves on her clean, white walls. "Humans are slightly more complicated, since their conscience is a lot more intricate than a mere flower, but I can still feel it if I tried really hard enough. In your case… I didn't need to. It leaked a bit. And I felt it."

Cloud sat, stunned at the explanation which he felt was unbelievable. He already had a hard time grasping everything she told him a few days prior, but this information he could not swallow.

"I can't read your mind, if that's what you're scared of. I can only feel what you're feeling, but not know what's going on in there. And you feel better because I have healing abilities. Anymore questions?" The way she delivered her words sounded so automatic and robotic, but how she felt was one of the last things on his mind right now. "I know you probably don't like someone you just met last week talking about your issues, but… in order to make it better, you should really open up. Relying on someone will cleanse your body spiritually, and—"

"Quit talking as if you know me," he chillingly interrupted. That instantly shut Aerith up. "I'm your bodyguard and you're my employer's daughter. The line is drawn here." He ignored the look of hurt that flashed in her eyes. "Tell me before you use your abilities again so that I can actually consent." Then he saw how her eyes glazed, almost as if she was zoning him out. Right when he was going to continue firing his shots under a flurry of emotions, Aerith slowly shook her head.

"Your job is done today then," said Aerith. With that one sentence, Cloud's fervent emotions came to a halt. The only thing on his mind now was the deep sadness that swamped the color of her beautiful green. She stood up from her bed and slowly creaked open the door. With a hand, she propped it open for him, and with the other, she signaled him out. When she smiled, the guilt rushed through every vein in his body.

"I'm sor—"

"Get out."

Speechless, he tried to look at her in the eyes. At first glance, it seemed like she also looked back, but that was because she was merely looking at his neck and not his face. "I'll text you the next time I go out."

"… Alright."

And he left.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> Glad everyone's been enjoying it so far. Been posting every day since this is taken from FF, but I did only start writing this fanfic like, a week ago, so haha. Yeah, I envision this fic to be quite long, so hope everyone's still gonna catch on the ride!

Everyone watched how Cloud kept checking his phone during their lunch out together. Last week, he didn't even give a damn about the thing, but now his attention on it was the most it had ever received since he bought it. Even Tifa had a hard time connecting to him through phone sometimes since he wasn't too keen on the whole technology business. Barret didn't dare crack a joke this time; something about Cloud's expression told everyone to not question him.

"Do you think he got fired?" Biggs whispered to Jessie who sat next to him. She was the only person he could talk to without anyone overhearing. "He hasn't been to bodyguard duty for four days now."

"What makes you think he got fired?" asked Jessie, wanting to see Biggs' interpretation on this odd situation.

"He's anxiously checking his phone like a child who's waiting for his first text message. You can beat my ass if you think he's waiting on something else."

"I agree. Also, I wouldn't want to beat your ass anyway even if you were wrong."

When his phone vibrated on the table, his hand was quick as lightening to open it up to see what it was.

_Barret: Gotcha!_

Barret cackled with laughter when Cloud scowled at him with an intensity that rivaled a whole wildfire. Everyone sighed; Barret just couldn't hold off the dumb jokes after all.

"Real funny," Cloud scoffed, sorely unamused by Barret's sense of humor.

"Never seen you so antsy before. Wanna spill some deets?" Jessie mused. "I'm dying to know how you're getting along with the Ancient."

"If you're going to feel entertained by the possibility of me getting fired, feel free to do it on your own," snapped Cloud. Though he instantly took back his biting comment when he realized how he was taking out his impatience on his friends. "Sorry, something happened and I probably upset her."

He shouldn't have said that because five faces were all up in his face at once.

"What did you do this time, Cloud?" Tifa sighed. She knew it was too good to be true: for Cloud to actually keep a stable job before pissing his clients off. It had happened way too many times before, and despite Aerith's gentle impression, Cloud would find a way to upset her somehow. She just didn't think it would happen so soon.

"I lashed out on her."

A round of ooo's harmonized the table, and the tones ranged from being surprised to disappointed.

"Remember that one time he blew up at Chadley? Big ouch. How did it go again?" Jessie quoted the air, "'Stop bothering me about your fucking materia research because I'm about to crush all of your materia orbs with my damn sword if you ask me _one_ more time for my shitty intel.' Probably the only time Cloud spoke a run-on sentence and it happened to be a string of curses. How delightful."

Tifa's jaw dropped. " _What?_ "

"Ah, yes, we kept it from you Tifa since we all knew you were going to beat him up with those fists of yours if you ever found out," Wedge confessed. The game of staring passed on to Tifa as she threw a hard look towards Cloud, who rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"No wonder Chadley stormed into my bar that day to fire you! Cloud!"

"Look, the guy was getting annoying," defended Cloud. However, his argument was weak.

"Well?"

He blinked at Tifa. "Well what?"

"Go apologize."

" _Tifa._ " It wasn't as if he wasn't going to apologize, but being rushed to do it made him feel more guilty.

"Don't 'Tifa' me. Don't expect dinner until you go get it fixed."

"Here it goes again, a lovers' quarrel," Jessie droned as she chewed on a fry. "Boo! Take it somewhere else."

As if answering Tifa's demand, his phone rang, and it wasn't a text. On his screen appeared the caller ID: Bodyguard Job.

"Really, you couldn't even store in her real name?" Biggs guffawed, underestimating Cloud's intent on keeping things impersonal in his line of work. He swiped his phone from everyone's view and glared at them for being so nosy before he answered it. Cloud tried not to sigh out loud at how everyone suddenly gathered around the table to listen in.

"Hi, what's up?" She usually texted him.

"I called because I don't have the time to wait for you to read my texts."

"Ouch, you've really done it this time," Wedge winced along with everyone else. Gone was Aerith's cheerful voice; she went straight to business.

"We're going to Sector 2 today. I don't mean to rush you, but it's urgent." It didn't sound like she was bluffing either. "Come ASAP."

"Got it." And Cloud ended the call. He then gave everyone a steely look. "I'm not fired."

"Keep telling yourself that," Jessie whistled. "Alright Handsome Guy," the girl slapped him so low on his back that she should've just gone for his ass. "Go do your thing." Without another word, Cloud grabbed his sword and went off his way.

"Just how _thirsty_ are you?" Biggs scoffed. Jessie responded by sticking out her tongue at him.

"Relax, it's all just a fun game. He's a semi-taken man anyway. I'll stop once he's fully taken." And Jessie winked at Tifa.

"Enough of these jokes," Tifa crossed her arms. They were getting old. She was glad that they made these types of joke more in front of her than in front of Cloud though or else it would've been incredibly more awkward. Tifa was just the better target with her easygoing character.

~.~.~

"Hi, I'm not selling flowers today unfortunately," Aerith explained. Cloud watched as she patted the dirt of the flower beds one last time before she dusted her hands clean. "I'm going to be visiting someone, and it's not the prettiest place to go through. Elmyra wouldn't let me go alone at all."

"Wait, you plan on going alone?"

Aerith shook her head. "I plan _ned_ on going alone." She emphasized the past-tense.

Cloud couldn't hide the frown on his face. He had to confess: he initially got very annoyed with her and her quirky nature, but _really?_ He would prefer her teasing over this treatment any day. However, no matter how much he tried to feel the annoyance he usually felt when his clients became all passive-aggressive with him, he couldn't. Because she wasn't being passive-aggressive at all, and that unsettled him greatly.

 _Just apologize to her, you blockhead._ Cloud pursed his lips. Was now the right time to say it? No, she said she had somewhere urgent to go to—perhaps after when he brought her home.

"Got something in your mind?" Aerith managed a small inquiring smile. However, it wasn't as bright as the other ones she always gave him.

"No. Let's go."

Their train ride to Sector 2 bathed in silence. Aerith usually sat close by his side for security, especially when the train was ridden with people during the rush hours. This time, even with the large amounts of people on the train, an unnatural space lodged in between them. In actuality, it wasn't really unnatural, but it was to him, oddly.

She hadn't explained what her business was at Sector 2 yet. He thought she would enlighten him once they reached the place, but when she still remained uninformative when they reached the deepest parts of the slums—aka the most dangerous parts—he had to ask.

"Visiting someone sick," she briefly explained. "That's why it was urgent."

"… Within these parts of the slums? Couldn't you meet them somewhere… _safer?_ "

"I can't. _They_ can't," and that was the end of their conversation.

Every sector minus Sector 6 was relatively safe, but every sector had an area where no normal person would dare venture through. It was ridden with disease, poverty, and crime. What made it worse was that Sector 2 had the worst case of it all after a contained outbreak of a new strain of influenza two years ago. Cloud would've felt more at ease if it was any other sector, but it just _had_ to be Sector 2. He wouldn't be surprised if someone just suddenly came out from an alleyway and stabbed Aerith randomly by the side with a knife, and he wouldn't even be able to blink before she would collapse on the ground. Feeling like it was truly time to do his job, he made his senses sharper to make sure nothing like that happened.

"Oh, gosh," he heard Aerith breath beside him. His head turned to what she was looking at: a hand that stuck out from a pile of dirty blankets. They couldn't tell whether or not the person was alive. When the fingers twitched, Aerith did all she could to not shriek in surprise. Cloud automatically pulled her flush to his side by wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"Sorry, bear with this until we reach your destination." Normally, Cloud would never initiate this kind of physical closeness unless for a good reason, but now was the time to pull it out. Aerith didn't argue with him on this; she probably would've fell on her knees if she continued on any longer without support. Not due to the fear, but to all the horrible things she saw.

"If only the government would do something about this…" she trailed. The flies that buzzed in their ears only foreshadowed why they gathered in such large numbers. She looked at the broken stalls and the depressing market stands that stood by the side, all standing on their last limbs. She had to look away when she saw the starved children who sat on the laps of their mothers, eyes shining curiously as they admired Cloud's Buster Sword while their mothers' stared lifelessly at the ground at their feet.

"Nothing much they can do when they pretend these places don't exist," Cloud said, understanding her sentiment. Even he was affected by the sights they walked past. "Truly unfortunate."

When they arrived in front of a house that could barely keep its walls up, Cloud let Aerith go and let her lead the way to the door. She knocked three times before someone answered.

"Oh, _Aerith_ , it's you. I didn't expect you to come this quick," a woman, no older than forty, gushed at their arrival. She clasped onto Aerith with her bony hands in a plea. "Please, come this way. Your company can come in too."

When Cloud entered the place, he tried not to cover his nose with his shirt. It smelled putrid, almost as if food was left to rot on purpose on the kitchen top. He felt a crunch underneath his boots—a cockroach. Aerith showed no signs of discomfort as she followed the woman to a room. When he entered, his eyes immediately landed on the body of a feverish young boy, no older than twelve.

"He went by a crack somewhere deep in the slums. I have no idea how he got there without getting attacked by the monsters that mutate there, but he must've had contact with some mako that spilled out of it. Oh, Aerith, his mind is deteriorating by the second. Is it true: can you do something about it?"

"I can't promise, but I'll do the best I can," Aerith said with a weak smile. Cloud stood by the door as he watched everything unfold. Her hands traced the outlines of the young boy's face, which scrunched up in pain as sweat ran down his forehead.

"What will you be doing?" the mother inquired. Cloud then knew that the woman did not know about Aerith's abilities at all. Aerith only answered with a gentle shake of her head, telling her to not worry again. She knelt down onto the grimy, wooden floors next to the bed where the boy laid. Hands together once more, she closed her eyes and did her work.

Cloud didn't know how much time passed; he didn't keep track of it. Instead, all he did was watch Aerith's unmoving form. He could see the smallest of frowns that etched on her face, and it only grew bigger and bigger as time passed. He then made a connection and realized that this was what she probably did to him in order to subdue his intense migraine and make him feel better. He thanked her by snapping at her.

"Aerith, what are you doing? Hold on a minute, are you sending him off?" the woman gasped, not at all understanding what she was doing to her son. Cloud stepped in, getting the clue that what Aerith did required the utmost concentration.

"She's doing all she can," he said. "He'll be okay."

He knew she finished when a luminous green glow surrounded her and the boy. A bead of sweat rolled down one of her temples, but she quickly wiped it off. A smile crossed her features, accomplished at what she had done. Aerith stood up and happily dusted off her dress from the grime and dirt. She turned to the woman, happy to deliver the good news.

"Your son's going to be okay now, he—"

_Slap!_

"What did you do to my son?" the woman shrieked, accusatory eyes nearly popping out of her sockets as they drowned in fear and disgust towards Aerith. "My poor son, you killed him, didn't you, you killed him!" The woman harshly pushed her aside so that she could see her son. His fever was gone and the color came back to his cheeks, but the woman in her deranged state shook him, desperate to see him awake.

Aerith stood, frozen in shock as she felt the numbing pain spread across her cheek. The woman had slapped her. Hard. Her head didn't move as her eyes remained open and wide, unblinking. Even her mouth was ungracefully open while her mind tried to grasp the situation and what just happened to her. She would've fallen over from the woman's violent shove if Cloud didn't rush by her side and steadied her.

"Hey," he nearly shouted at the woman, "she saved your son's life."

"That strange light—that was black magic I saw! What curse did you put on him, I've never seen anything like that before in my life!" the woman continued to accuse Aerith of heinous acts. "I should've never let you go near my son! My baby!" she cradled his head in her arms, convinced that Aerith somehow poisoned him.

"He's simply just resting after fighting the poison," Aerith explained quietly. Her hand slowly raised up to her face to feel her cheek. "The mako from his body is almost entirely cleansed. His eyes will be stained green for a few days, but it'll disappear once all of the mako leaves his system."

"Now you're trying to trick me with bullshit? Get out!" the woman screamed. Cloud took the hit when the woman threw a hairbrush at Aerith and chased the both of them out. He had to almost haul Aerith to get her to move out of the room and into the kitchen. However, before he completely exited the room, he couldn't leave without hammering some kind of justice. He looked at the woman one last time with a chilling and ruthless stare.

"Once your son gets better and some sense finally hits you, don't you ever dare contact her for help ever again," Cloud spat. He was about to say more, but Aerith gently tugged him on his shirt.

"Let's go," she whispered.

Cloud walked on forward to open the door, but when Aerith remained still, he had to come back and get her. His hand carefully but firmly grasped her wrist and pulled her along. Still in shock, her feet stumbled a bit before she followed him out.

It felt like forever as they maneuvered through and out the depths of the slums. When they finally found fresh air again in the main parts of the sector, he let her go and placed her by a vacant bench. It seemed like they were in a different world the moment they stepped out and saw motion instead of unmoving bodies. While she sat, he remained standing, looking for any place where he could get her water. Aerith was too absorbed in her thoughts to notice him go buy water from a vending machine and come back.

"Here," Cloud tapped the cold bottle against her shoulder for her to take it. She looked at him before she looked at the bottle. Wordlessly, she took it, but she didn't open it. He sighed, took it back again, opened it for her, and placed it in her hands again. "Don't let a woman who has probably never seen the world and how it works get to you." Then, he shook his head. "That's what happens when you've never seen the sunlight." He understood the lack of educational background, but not the ballistic reaction.

"She was the first person to buy a flower from me in Sector 2," said Aerith. Her voice barely came out as audible. Taking his sword and leaning it against the bench, Cloud knelt on a knee in front of her so that he could hear her better. He winced a bit when he saw the red hand mark on her face. "Even when she was penniless, she still wanted a flower. Because she never saw anything like it before and said it was beautiful."

Cloud didn't understand her sentiment too much about this, but he continued listening anyway despite the lack of empathy. "I guess I should've told her my Ancient background before I did anything."

"No matter how much you could've explained to her, I don't think she would've ever understood." _He_ barely understood. "Don't think so much about it."

Aerith wasn't good at drawing lines, and Cloud already drew it four days ago, but even so, she found herself talking. A part of her didn't care if it was Cloud or not—it could've been anybody. Somebody. Not just nobody.

"I wonder if everything would be better if I wasn't born half-Cetra. To hell with it, is what I think sometimes." Aerith smiled ruefully, spilling her mind to someone who probably didn't care because her dignity already got slapped away literally. Cloud was surprised; that was the closest thing to a profanity he ever heard come from her mouth. "I never asked for these powers. Maybe I should give up."

"Hey—"

"Just kidding!" she suddenly exclaimed, and she couldn't put Cloud in a greater whirlwind than the one he was already in. She stood up from her bench, causing Cloud to almost lose his foot and fall backwards. He stood up with her while swinging his sword over his back again, utterly confused and taken aback by the sudden attitude change—again. "Let's go home, shall we?"

He wanted to ask her if she was really okay, but he couldn't bring his mind to do it. Even though he didn't understand how she felt, he didn't mind trying to. Something about her reminded him of himself, and he was left with an unknown feeling that kept gnawing at him from the pit of his stomach—everything about her seemed to be wrapped in mystery.

Then, he realized he had no right to ask if she was okay. Because even if he did, it would probably sound like empty words to her—because he was the same as that woman just four days ago.

"Alright," he said instead before they went back home in a silence that weighed heavier than the first train ride.

Once at the front of her home, Cloud remembered about the apology that he racked his brain to formulate the entire day. Now that things were calmer with an, unfortunately, sour mood, nothing could make his situation any worse. He may have been like the woman from Sector 2, but the main difference between them was that he was going to apologize. Right now. Certainly.

"Hey, Aerith," he began before she dismissed him and went inside. He internally winced; just two words and he already sounded like an awkward, bumbling fool. Her hand was already on the handle when he spoke up.

"Yes?" She half-turned her head, but fully turned towards him when he took a bit to say what was on his mind. Her moon eyes were making it harder for him to just say the damn apology. Two words. That was it.

"Text me when you're going to go somewhere," he blurted out. She blinked before she nodded her head slowly.

"Of course."

It took all of his willpower not to groan and rub his forehead as he bathed in his own idiocy. Then, he readied himself again—it wasn't too late.

"Good night." And there went his chances and possibly his sanity. She offered a small yet slightly perturbed smile.

"Good night." And she disappeared behind her door.

The moment the door closed and the lock clicked, Cloud proceeded to hit his head against the wall before strongly exhaling. "You fucking idiot."

Maybe this is what Tifa meant when she called him emotionally stupid.

With all hopes gone for the night, Cloud kicked a pebble and decided to just head back to Sector 7. Surely next time he would be able to just say it. Yes, he would be more prepared the next time she texted him. He would have more time to articulate his words, to make sure he said what he actually wanted to say without saying something stupid again. The next time, he'll make sure that he got the message through, and his bodyguarding job will return to being somewhat-smooth sailing.

The next time.

Definitely.

He sighed.

Oh _hell._

When he was half-way from the train station, he turned his heels and walked back to her home. He had to say his apology tonight, or else there wouldn't be a next time where she would text him. There was no way she stayed within Sector 5 for the four days he wasn't present; she even tried going to Sector 2 alone without him. Not knowing when the next day he would meet her was, Cloud steeled his resolve one more time as he knocked on the door of the Gainsborough residence.

He didn't expect the door to be opened by Elmyra.

"Why, Cloud, I thought you left," she greeted him, confused at his presence. "Are you planning on resting up in the guest room tonight then?"

"Where's Aerith?" he asked, taking a peek over her shoulder to see if he could spot her in the house. She wasn't there.

"She was just here right after you left." Elmyra's eyebrows furrowed, quick to sense that something was up. "Do you need her for something? I can leave the message for you."

"Thanks, but I think I need to say it myself," he insisted. "Do you know where she went?"

Elmyra studied his face, suspicious about what his intentions are. This wasn't just bodyguard work anymore. However, she sighed when she saw the slight desperateness in his eyes as he waited for her answer.

"There's a church in this sector. She should be there."

"Thank you." Cloud didn't spend another second longer at the door before he zipped to go find the church. Elmyra crossed her arms and leaned her shoulder on the door frame as she watched his back shrink across the bridge. He didn't even ask for the directions.

It took Cloud longer than it should've to find the church. He wasn't too familiar with Sector 5 since he didn't get requests out here often, so he found himself ending up in the same place multiple times while searching for the church. Once he ran around enough to the point where he could've drawn a damn map of the place if he wanted to, he finally arrived in front of the open doors of the church. The lights were always on, probably for visitors at any time of the day.

Cloud didn't spot her at first when he looked around, but it was because she was kneeling down by a huge flower bed in the center of the church in her usual praying posture. He thought it was odd for the flowers to be grown in such a place, but he didn't think much of it as he remembered what he came here for. He took one step forward, but stop when he heard sniffling.

Aerith was crying.

Stunned, he didn't dare make another move. Her sobs were soft and gentle and uneven, as if she was trying her best to keep it in; her mouth never opened in order to muffle and silence it as much as she could. It made him wonder: how often was she like this? And how often alone? The smile she always gave to everyone suddenly seemed so far away as he gazed with sympathetic eyes her form as she communicated her emotions to the nature before her. It was ironic. She was human too, yet the only essence she could rely on was her connection to the Planet. Where was the other half of her identity?

Cloud rethought his choice to interrupt her just to deliver his apology. It wasn't an excuse to avoid it; he simply felt that she needed time alone. After all, there was no doubt that _he_ shared some of the blame for the tears she shed. Calling her was an alternative choice too; he made a note to do so the next morning.

Cloud turned to leave the Ancient be. However, the slight crunch of the pebbles and dirt and wood pieces that littered the church floors sounded beneath his feet, instantly alerting Aerith of his presence.

"Who goes?"

Cloud closed his eyes, internally bracing himself before he slowly turned around. Aerith furiously wiped her tears with the back of her hands as she stood up, not wanting him to see her vulnerable state. The smile she put on her face twitched as she forced it; it made Cloud want to tell her to just stop. "Oh, Cloud, it's you."

Now discovered, he couldn't just walk out the church. He made his way to her and the flower bed, which basked in the moonlight that seeped through the broken roof of the church. He knelt down on a knee as he reached a hand out to feel a petal on one of the flowers, but right before he touched it, his fingers hovered a bit before they pulled away.

"I see how you're trying to turn the entire Sector 5 into your garden," muttered Cloud. There couldn't be anyone else quirky enough to plant a bunch of flowers in the middle of a near-deserted church. The joke was successful in making the mood lighter as Aerith's soft laughter reverberated within the church.

"You caught me." She joined him as she sat down with her knees tucked to her chest. When a silence unnaturally settled itself between them, she couldn't hold back from asking. "Why are you here? Why did you come back?"

"… Because I knew."

"Knew what?"

"That you were going to be like this."

Aerith snapped her eyes over to him, inhaling softly when his were already there looking at her. The mako in his eyes never appeared so luminescent before as his orbs drank in the sight of her. She could see her own reflection in those eyes, the eyes that only looked at _her._

"… What happened to the line?"

"Line?" Cloud looked away and frowned momentarily before it dawned on him. "Ah… Well…" He shrugged, "You can kind of call this part of the job." His brain whirled for a legit reason for his claim before it was too late as he stared at the flowers—maybe they could give him an answer. "Gotta make sure the employer's fine or else they can't pay me."

" _Pfft_ , wow, okay, is it too hard to say you're worried about me?" said Aerith cheekily. She pushed him on the shoulder playfully, earning an unamused grunt from the merc. "Gotta read the mood sometimes, you know, or else—"

"Fine, I'm worried about you."

Aerith blinked at the flowers. What? Her heart hammered for one beat, making her suddenly feel stuffy. Cloud could see how her eyebrows bent together in various motions, a sign of her conflicting emotions as she tried to find the words to say. It was usually him that was caught in the loop, not her. Finding control in the conversation, he continued. "I didn't come to do my work just to watch you get humiliated in the depths of one of the worse slums of all the sectors."

"It wasn't like that," she quickly countered. Then, her voice became weak as her mind replayed the scene, the confusion, the _pain._ She subconsciously felt her cheek—it burned her still. "She was just… _worried._ For her son. It was my fault… that I didn't tell her. That I… didn't receive her _consent._ "

If Cloud never felt a guilt that stabbed his chest like a poison-laced knife, then he did now. "I—"

"Establishing connections? Right, what a load of bull," Aerith laughed sarcastically. The cheerful façade she tried to trick him with evaporated instantly. "The Planet can continue flourishing on its own without someone like me trying to cause some sort of change like a one-man army. I guess it's just my desperate attempt to find a purpose in a world so that I can feel like I'm at least part of it."

"Aerith—"

"No one cares about some dumb flowers that won't feed them. No one cares if I'm the last Ancient living. At least when Shinra was still around chasing me, I still felt like someone essential—important—but now that they're basically wiped out, it's like my reasons went away with it. I—" she broke into full sobs now, forgetting that Cloud was right beside her listening to all her jumbled jargon that he probably didn't understand. She forgot everything he told her the nights before, the look on his face when he found out someone tapped into his past, the bewilderment that swirled in his eyes as he regarded her with an expression she knew all too well. His face fleshed into the woman's from Sector 2, but the expression remained the same.

She startled him when she started to wave her hands frantically at the flowers, petals free flying in the air at her sudden violent outbreak. "What's the point of all this? Why haven't I given up yet? These things are just—!"

"Hey."

Aerith cried as Cloud held onto both of her hands to stop her destruction of her own flowers. The muscles in his arms rippled as he tried to stop her from breaking loose and continue her breakdown. Tears free-flowing now, they tainted her rosy cheeks in gleams as she looked everywhere except his eyes.

"Hey, hey, stop."

"Why couldn't I be full human? I am proud of my heritage, of my ancestors, but when living in a modern world like this, does it even matter anymore? No one cares, no one needs any of my powers. No one—"

"I can care." His hands moved to firmly grip her shoulders to shake her out of her sudden spiral of rumination. "And… I need you."

Those words snapped her out of it as she looked up at him, eyes brimming with tears as they drowned in question. "You… need me?"

"I…" Cloud looked away. All the original words he wanted to say for the apology were gone as he let his mouth do all the talking without a direct connection with his brain. Weirdly enough, they came more naturally. "You have an important role for all of us here. What happened to all that talk you gave me at Sector 7? When you were selling your flowers with joy even though jerks like Beck literally trampled on you?"

"That was…"

"Not all of us are going to be stupid and just throw your flowers off on the streets to be stepped on. What about Tifa? She loves your flowers. The people in Sector 3—they bought your flowers. There are a ton of people out there who'd understand. They might not understand at first, but there are people who try. I… try." He let her go. If only his friends could see him right now _consoling_ someone, they wouldn't believe their eyes nor ears. "I'm sorry for the other night. I didn't mean what I said."

There. He finally did it. It was a round-about way, but the apology finally made its way through his stubbornness. Aerith wiped away her second round of tears as she processed all of the words he told her.

"Do you mean it?"

"What? What I just said? I would be the biggest asshole alive if I didn't." He knew he was a hard person, but even he knew how to have a heart too, even if people thought otherwise. "So stop crying like a baby."

"Seriously?" Aerith smiled—a real one this time—as she dried all the remnants of her tears. Once she was done, she showed him her face. "There. That better?"

"Sure."

Aerith sniffed a bit, regaining her composure as she continued to dry her wet face. Cloud waited patiently for her to collect herself, glad that it wasn't too hard to get her to calm down. Aerith looked at the damage she caused in her short breakdown before sighing tiredly. Her hands reached out to caress the flowers in an apology.

"They saying anything?"

"Are you interested to know now?" Aerith cocked her head to the side, her signature move. "Not going to tell you if you're not interested."

He narrowed her eyes at her, silently questioning her for playing this game with him now. However, he conceded. "Fine. I'm interested."

"You sound _so_ excited," she rolled her eyes. "But fine!" He almost didn't take her seriously when she leaned towards the flowers to hear them better. A few seconds passed before she said anything. "They said they understand."

"What?"

"They understand my little temper tantrum," she giggled. "And they forgive me."

"… That's nice of them." He sounded _so_ stupid. This whole conversation about talking flowers was not his style, and Aerith knew he tried his best to maintain a serious and straight face about it. She let it go, not wanting to torture him with anymore of her flower talk. Instead, she grew quiet, reflecting on his heartfelt words a little bit more.

"Want to tell me again?"

"Tell you what?"

"That you… need me." Then she added another thing in to make him not feel awkward. "Even if you don't mean it."

Cloud blinked. No, he was not going to repeat it—his pride was too much for him to say something so cheesy again, even if he meant it or not. Aerith looked at him expectantly, serious about her request as she waited for his answer.

"Ah, ow."

Aerith's expectant gaze turned into one of confusion when he hesitantly put a hovering hand on his head. "It, uh, hurts."

"… Huh?" Aerith continued to stare him down, weirded out by his strange act when he obviously wasn't in any pain. He peeked at her before he continued his charade.

"Ow, it feels like… my head is being cracked open," he continues lamely. It wasn't until he said, "Must be the mako poisoning again," when she understood what he was trying to do.

"You little—" Aerith clamped a mouth with a hand to suppress her laughter. He never felt so stupid so many times before in such little time. Only she was able to make him feel this way. "You're hilarious!"

He was about to just drop it, give up, and walk straight out the church out of complete embarrassment until Aerith softly reached out her two hands and cradled his face. His breathing stopped as his throat hitched almost painfully at her gentle touch. The softness of her hands made him feel… _weird._

"I know just the trick to make you feel better," half-whispered Aerith. Slowly, she brought his face towards hers until their foreheads touched in a heart-skipping manner. Cloud instantly fluttered his eyes shut as he let out a shaky exhale through his nose. He could smell her scent that wafted underneath his nose—the sweet scent of flowers—as he felt her comforting thumbs caress his face in a tender motion.

He didn't ask what she was doing or what she was going to do. He braced himself for any changes in his senses like before, but as time passed, he felt no change. The only thing his mind focused on was Aerith's even breathing, his own, and the contact the two held as he reveled in her calming touches.

"Better?"

Even though he knew she wasn't doing anything with her abilities, he felt the same peace as last time. It was as if he was meant to be here with her, right now, under the eyes of the church and the vast flower bed among them. Her mere presence was enough to still him in a momentary lapse of tranquility.

"Yeah," he managed to croak. "Better."

And she slowly removed herself and her hands from his face. She smiled at him.

"Perfect."


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nice to know there are people enjoying my fic on this site too! Thanks for the support, and here's a super duper long chapter xd I forgot to update yesterday woops.

"Hey, can you, like, _not_ visit here that often? There are _eight_ other sectors waiting for your flower invasion."

"I'll have you know that the other seven have already been infested with my flowers for _years_. It was only a matter of time until I decided to infiltrate Sector 7—which is _now_ if you haven't gotten the hint yet."

"Really? I didn't know." Every word that flowed out of Cloud's mouth was singed with sarcasm and irritation. Cloud led the way from the edges of Sector 7 into the main center like last time. At first, he was impressed how the Ancient managed to fight her way through all the monsters in order to reach the sector from the train station. He didn't trust her to go through it alone, so the last thing he expected to see when he went to go pick her up was her blasting spells out of her staff like some sort of machine gun, all the while balancing her flower basket that hung on her moving arm. However, now he just grew tired of seeing her familiar figure near the entrance of Sector 7 because it just meant he was in for another bothersome day of bodyguarding.

"You don't like me being here? What, you embarrassed that you have to bodyguard some girl as a job in front of people you know?" Aerith wagged her finger at him with a few _tsk_ 's of the tongue. "A real man owns up to his duties."

"I don't need some flower peddler to tell me how to be one," deadpanned Cloud. "So quit talking and start selling."

"Geez, can't ever be flexible with the words, can you?"

When the two reached the center of bustling people once more, Cloud stepped aside to let her work her magic. Ever since Beck's little tantrum and Cloud's interference the first time she sold flowers in the sector, people were careful to not do the same mistake as the old shopkeeper; rumors traveled fast. However, that didn't mean business was any better. Residents would pass by, only to spare a mere glance at the brightly colored flowers before moving on. A few hoodlums went for pointless chit-chat with the Ancient rather than for the flowers, but Cloud knew well enough that she had it under control with her suave way of talking. Of course, just like every time she came to visit Sector 7, his friends cruised along just to check up on them. It was more to make fun of Cloud and tease him rather than to seek Aerith's company, but they found her presence enjoyable nonetheless.

"I see that you've been sticking around here more often, hm?" Biggs commented when Biggs, Jessie, and Tifa came up to him by the side. They all just returned from patrol, which had become tougher than usual due to a sudden surge of spawning, but they cleared it up just fine. "We kind of miss you out on the hunts you know?"

"Please, you just want to sit back and relax, you lazy ass," Jessie rolled her eyes as she picked at her ear. She then nudged Cloud by the arm with an elbow, grabbing his attention away from Aerith. "Seems like you're just chilling. Bodyguarding your primary occupation now?"

"Great to know that you guys haven't been slaughtered yet on the hunts without me," Cloud said with a somewhat-amused brow. "Seems like Tifa's been holding most of it on her own though." Out of everyone, Tifa seemed the most tired as some sweat matted the hair at her forehead while everyone else seemed perfectly dandy. She shook her head at his observation.

"I just move a lot more; don't you know that by now?" chuckled Tifa. "But we do miss you or, at least, your sword. Definitely been taking longer without you."

"When was the last time we all sat down together and drank our hearts out merrily? Wall Market today, guys?" Jessie exclaimed as she did one spin around. "How about it, Cloud? All of us, and the Ancient can come join us too! Would _love_ to sit down and chat with another fellow maiden."

"What, so that you can embarrass yourself in your drunken ass in front of everyone?" Cloud scoffed. "Sorry, but—"

"Did I hear something about a night out?"

"Aerith!" Tifa greeted cheerfully. The two women shared a brief hug as Aerith waved excitedly at Jessie and Biggs. She was a bit more comfortable with Tifa since the black-haired woman was just so nice and open. Jessie and Biggs never approached her for a talk, but neither did she. She was sure they were nice people though. "Is business going good?"

Aerith let out a hum before she did the usual routine: giving all of Cloud's acquaintances a free flower. She winked as she held up her index finger. "Now it is."

"Thanks, we definitely appreciate these in the bar," Biggs nodded. "Brightens up the place a bit more."

"Glad that they're doing what they're supposed to."

"Aerith, when does your little shift end?" Jessie asked excitedly. "We're planning an outing tonight to Wall Market for some drinks and a little bit of partying after a long, long day. Care to join us? It's going to be a weekend!" Before Cloud could intervene and shut Jessie down because he was _not_ in the mood to be doing overtime, Aerith beat him to it.

"That sounds _wonderful!_ Ooo, I'm already excited; I've never had an outing with friends before!" Aerith clapped her hands together like a little kid as she brimmed with joy. "Cloud, you _have_ to let me come along."

"You don't need this guy's permission," Tifa half-whispered to Aerith even though everyone could hear her, loud and clear. "He's always going to say no—might as well not ask."

"Okay, now look here—"

"Sounds like a _plan_!" Jessie yipped. Cloud's eye twitched, severely annoyed at how these three women trampled over his mouth so easily without a care in the world. Biggs shook his head in amusement, feeling sorry for the guy as he witnessed the poor scene in front of him.

"We can go trucking along whenever you're ready to go!"

"Perfect—let me and Tifa to take a shower so that we don't smell like stink bombs the entire time. Toodaloo!" Jessie winked at Cloud before she dragged Tifa back to their respective places to get all ready and tidied up.

"I'll let Barret and Wedge on the news," Biggs smirked. "Wouldn't want them to miss out."

"Can we leave Barret out at least?" Cloud said. His eye twitched a little bit more—he could tell this night was going to be a damn fiasco already. He'd rather not add Barret into the mix because a drunk Barret was the last thing he wanted to test his patience on. Biggs simply clapped his shoulder before leaving.

"Sorry, buddy, seems like you're doing a sort of a triple duty tonight. Laters."

Cloud's sigh couldn't get any louder as he was left with only Aerith once more. She giggled at his reaction before poking him playfully in the arm. "Oh, you, just _relax_. Do you not know what having _fun_ feels like?"

"If I had known that you would be this involved in my personal life, I would've taken a hard pass on the job," he grumbled. A little part of him regretted his choice in words when he realized how insensitive that sounded, but all little worries quickly casted themselves away when Aerith hooked herself onto his arm again. He sighed for the nth time as he tried to pry it off. Here it was again—the stupid teasing.

"Third week on the job and you're _still_ so cold," she complained. She swayed her body dramatically as if acting out a soliloquy on stage, forcing Cloud to follow her erratic movements like a puppet. "You're being so uncute right now. It's as if that frown was surgically etched onto that handsome face of yours permanently. Smile a bit, for crying out loud."

"I don't have the muscles for it, sorry," he sardonically joked.

"What a killjoy," she switched to a disappointed tone as she let him go. "You're the last person I would ever ask to take me out on a date."

"Good choice," he scoffed, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall of the building they stood by. "Don't."

"Okay, what don't you like about me, hm?" Aerith twirled around in a circle, letting the hems of her skirt fly in the air momentarily. Grabbing the edge of her dress, she curtsied and grinned. "Just look how classy I am. Just _perfect_." She even kissed the air, making Cloud think of how silly she was. When she did another twirl, her feet slipped against the dirt. If not for Cloud catching her by the waist from behind, she would've had an intimate greeting with the dirt.

"You're way too spunky," Cloud answered, letting out a sigh of relief—she nearly brought him down too with her tumble. "But I guess it's never a dull moment with you."

"Aw, is that a compliment for me?"

"Not really."

She laughed heartily as she pulled away from his hold. He let her go easily. Sometimes, he felt like he was bodyguarding her from herself, which he didn't think was possible but somehow was. The girl had a screw or two loose in there, but at least she made some part of his job entertaining with her weird quirks.

As the two continued to converse in their silly conversation, which was mostly led by Aerith and turned down by Cloud like always, Tifa and Jessie entered view of them after getting freshly cleaned and grime-free. When Jessie saw the two, she blew a low whistle. "Well, would you look at that. He's getting along more with the Ancient more than he lets on, what the."

"Hm, you're right," Tifa chuckled, glad to see Cloud a bit sociable with someone else other than the gang. They didn't know what they were saying from so far away, but it wasn't hard to imagine the words when Aerith suddenly summoned her magic staff again and thrashed it in front of Cloud's face. He grabbed it with a clear scowl on his face before she put it away again and laughed. They were almost like a comedic duo, the two of them.

Tifa's spirits, however, quieted down just a little bit when her and Jessie saw something else unexpected between the two. All the mirth between the two disappeared when Cloud suddenly hunched over, his hand flying immediately to his head. The smile erased from Aerith's face too as Cloud tried to balance himself against the wall with his other hand. Tifa knew exactly what was happening and was about to rush over. However, her feet stopped moving, eyes continuing to be trained on the two as she witnessed what unfolded next.

"Cloud, are you alright?" Aerith asked, smiles all gone as a frown graced her features. She placed a hand on his back as she tried to keep him from falling over. "Cloud!"

"Ugh!" He clutched his head as his vision started to blur a sickly green, a sight he was plain sick of at this point. It felt like someone was trying to wedge a dagger into his skull and split it open like a coconut as they hacked hallucinations into his senses. The world before him started to show things he knew wasn't real. The fire, the blood, the memories that weren't his—everything started to spiral out of control as he struggled to regain himself. These headaches were happening more frequently—why?

When he felt a little bit better momentarily, he shook his head at her. "I'm fine. It'll be over soo— _ugh!_ " The wave of pain crashed over again.

"Cloud, I'm going to use my powers on you again, okay?" Aerith urged worriedly as she steadied his back against the wall. Learning her lesson from last time, she didn't want to intrude without his permission. "If I don't, you're just going to suffer through it. I'll just be tapping into the part of you that is infused with mako because that's where I can manipulate it and make it better for you, okay?"

He was in too much pain to grant his permission, but he nodded.

Hurriedly, she pressed her forehead against his and clasped her hands in a prayer once more. Eyes shut tight and eyes furrowed, Aerith started doing what she did best.

"What are they doing?" Jessie asked, also frozen in place as she watched the odd spectacle happen before them. "He doesn't look so good. Don't tell me—is it the—"

"Yeah, it's one of his headaches again," Tifa answered shakily as she took a step forward. "But… I'm not sure what Aerith's doing…?"

His headache started to disappear the instant his forehead touched Aerith's, but the process lasted quite a bit as he felt all of the crazed scenes his brain conjured up to torment him get tucked away once more. It took longer than last time for his headache to be reduced to a dull pain, but the fatigue he felt was immense. Once it was over, his head unintentionally fell on Aerith's shoulder for support as he caught his breath.

"One last touch," and a soft green glow encompassed them once more. It attracted a few people's attention, but because it disappeared so fast, they simply casted it off as a simple green light that was switched on somewhere and then off. Just like that, his fatigue was instantly eased, and he straightened back up.

"Oi, Aerith." It was his turn to steady her as her body slumped forward from the tiresome task. She tried to laugh to lighten up the mood, but she coughed instead.

"Mako is legit no joke," she breathily said, relying entirely on Cloud's hold on her shoulders to remain standing. "You have _no_ idea how hard it is to force it to go a certain direction and what not. Add in a healing spell too—shit doesn't come for free." If they weren't struggling to just remain standing, Cloud would've chuckled at the profanity that escaped the lips of such a seemingly innocent girl.

"I hope you give me the logistics and run down of how everything works sooner later," he said grimly and humorlessly. He was amazed at how her powers worked, but it would give him a little bit more ease to know _how_ it worked. "You can at least owe me an explanation on what you do to me every single time.

"Maybe another time," she said as her breathing started to become even again. "Ancient girl here a bit too tired to run the whole thing down right now."

"Guys, are you okay?"

The two of them shot their eyes over to Tifa and Jessie, who both had concerned expressions drawn on their faces. Tifa looked at the tired Aerith, worried yet confused at the same time. "What happened?"

"Sword Boy got some mice running around in his head, but nothing an Ancient can't patch up," Aerith explained. She signaled Cloud to let her go as she managed to find her feet again. Wiping off the bead of sweat at the side of her forehead, she gave a thumbs up to everyone. "I'll be okay."

"Hey, you sure you're going to be okay tonight? We can postpone the outing to another time," Jessie said worriedly. Aerith instantly shook her head.

"No, I'll be up and at it soon! You just gotta give me a brief moment, and it'll be as if nothing ever happened."

"Don't push yourself, idiot," Cloud sighed.

"Aw, you worried about me again?" she cooed.

"Do I have to say so again?"

"Whoa, what's with the depressing mood over here?"

Barret and the guys came to join the circle. Not seeing the smiles on anyone's faces, Barret frowned. "Something happen here?"

"Nothing," Aerith said in her usual chirpy voice. "Wow, is this the entirety of your circle of friends, Cloud? Who knew there would be so many people who enjoyed your company!"

Barret rumbled with laughter at her seemingly disparaging comment towards Cloud. "I like you already! I have no darnest idea _how_ you can deal with his presence for more than half an hour. Show me the ways."

And just like that, Aerith's bright personality washed away everything that happened previously.

The walk to Sector 6 started off broody with Cloud's episodic migraine, but the atmosphere quickly returned back to normal as Aerith cheerily chatted up everyone. She managed to make Barret laugh with all the dirt she had with Cloud during his bodyguarding. With Wedge, she recommended him places to dine at, using her extensive knowledge of all the sectors to her advantage. Even Jessie whirled up a storm with the Ancient as they talked about the language of flowers.

Tifa and Cloud lagged behind just a bit from all the happiness going on. They hadn't said a word to each other since they embarked on their way towards Wall Market, but it was Tifa who broke the silence.

"Are you okay, Cloud? You really had me worried there," she softly asked. "It looked worse than before."

"I'm fine," he assured. "Never pleasant, but that's to be expected."

"… Did you see it again?"

"… See what?"

"Nothing, nothing," Tifa waved off with a hand. "Have they been happening more often since the last time I saw it?"

"This was the third time since then," Cloud sighed. Tifa widened her eyes at him in surprise.

" _Third_ time? What? Cloud, it's been only three weeks. Have you been having one every week?"

Cloud wished that she would stop asking, not because he was bothered but because he really didn't want to worry her anymore. He knew how much of a fuss Tifa could be when it came to him and his wellbeing. "Before that, the last time you had it was two months ago."

"Yeah, I know. I don't know either. Probably a coincidence."

"Cloud, that's not a coincidence," Tifa exasperated. "Aerith, what she did back there—was that the power of the Ancients?"

"More or less. I don't really know how it works either, but she's been making the migraines better," he admitted. When Tifa's eyes continued to swim in questions, he shook his head and patted her on the shoulder in a comforting manner. "Look, Tifa—"

"Cloud—"

"No, _Tifa_ ," he looked her in the eyes, making sure she listened to what he said. "I'm going to be okay, alright?" He turned his gaze towards the group of five in front of them. "Relax and have fun tonight. Don't worry about me. Aerith's healing magic made me feel like it never happened."

Tifa swallowed before she gave up and nodded.

"Fine. Don't push yourself though, okay?"

"Of course."

When the group reached Wall Market, Jessie led them to the most famous bar of all the sectors. The purple neon nights shined so brightly that it hurt their eyes and momentarily made them blind when they looked somewhere else. Outside the bar, people were littered everywhere as some sat, some stood, and some laid flat on the ground dead drunk. Waves of chatter infiltrated their ears as the group made their way through the entrance of the crowded bar.

"Woo!" Jessie shouted, excitement levels off the charts as music immediately boomed in their ears once they arrived. "Let's get this party started!"

The seven of them sat at a counter that was close to the dance floor where many lost themselves to the night and the alcohol. Before they knew it, the bartender served everyone their drinks.

"Cheers to another week of hard work!" whooped Barret as he held his glass up. Everyone joined him on his cheers before taking a sip of their liquor. Cloud's curiosity turned to skepticism when he eyed the way Aerith drank from her glass. When he saw how she took a huge gulp instead of a sip out of her drink, he grabbed her by the wrist to stop her.

"You _have_ drunk before, right?" he asked dubiously. Bodyguarding was one thing; babysitting a drunk Cetra was another.

"Didn't I say I never went out to drink with friends before?" Aerith yelled over the music. She cringed slightly at the bitterness of the drink, but it quickly went away before she gave it the nod of approval. "Tastes pretty darn good!" When she put the glass back up to her lips, Cloud pulled at her again with a shake of his head.

"Oh no, you don't."

"Cloud, _chill_ ," Jessie slapped him by the shoulder to get him out of his uptight mood. "Lay off the bodyguarding for tonight! She's got six of them right here at her disposal; we can take care of her!"

Jessie's reasoning worked as he thought about it a bit before sighing in defeat. He let her go, much to Aerith's glee. Jessie rolled her eyes before she held her drink up for another round of cheers. "Cheers to our new ally, Aerith!"

"Cheers!"

Cloud hissed a bit as he took another shot, not very accustomed to this sort of environment. Usually for their weekly celebration, the gang hung out at Tifa's bar. Jessie probably insisted on Wall Market because of the addition of Aerith. He silently listened on to all the conversations as he leaned against the counter and swirled the liquor in his glass repeatedly.

"So what's it like in the life of a Cetra?" Wedge asked curiously. "Sounds so exotic."

"Well, I eat and sleep the same way you do if you're questioning how I live my life," Aerith said as her eyes twinkled. "Only difference is that I can talk to the Planet."

"The Planet?"

"Have you not done your research, Wedge?" Barret barked, and the whole gang already sighed.

"Here comes his preaching about the Lifestream. Don't mind him," Jessie said to Aerith by the side. "He will go on and on and _on._ "

"I would love to talk to someone who knows their stuff about my background," Aerith smiled. "Go on, Barret."

"Don't go and encourage him," Cloud chipped in as he let out a very irritated groan. "He's going to talk about this shit so much, you're gonna feel like you've lost your job."

"Perhaps we got a new, potential Ancient in town?" The gang laughed at Aerith's suggestion. As the rest of the group began to humor Barret and his obsessive talking, Cloud nudged Tifa by the side, noticing her dampened spirit.

"Drink like you've never drunk before," Cloud advised. "It's not often that we go to Wall Market together just to get shitfaced."

"We got to have at least one person sober enough to deal with the aftermath," Tifa chuckled as she swished the drink in her hand. "Or else we're not going to make it back home tonight."

Cloud shook his head. "I'll be that person, so just go crazy."

"But—"

"I _know_ you're the heaviest drinker here. You're not the owner of a bar without living up to the expectation of one."

"Well—"

"Scared you can't handle a drink or two?" He knew exactly where to press her buttons. Tifa scoffed as she looked at him challengingly.

"Bet."

"With all my gil."

Cloud watched with a smirk as she downed the entire glass with one go. She wiped the back of her mouth before ordering another drink.

"So me and Jessie: who do you think's going to last longer?"

"I'm not betting my money just to lose it—of course it's going to be you. Jessie's a little…"

As if on cue, Jessie was already stumbling around as she dove right into the dancing crowd. Biggs followed her to make sure she wasn't doing anything stupid while Barret started to strike a conversation up with the bartender. Wedge went over to where there was food to grab a meal for the night as Aerith sat around watching everyone lose themselves for the night.

"C'mon, let's join in on the fun as well," Tifa suggested. However, she realized how it was just going to be Aerith if the two of them left. "Well, uh…"

"Don't worry, I'll keep her company," Jessie came back and swung her arms around their shoulders. "So you two go do your thing." Right before Cloud could make a comment about her soberness, she beat him to it. "Don't worry, I might look like I'm crazy right now, but I'm completely fine. You know my ability to sober real quick too. Just go!" She pushed Tifa and Cloud to go have fun on their own. Cloud hesitantly looked back at Aerith, who also shooed him with a hand.

"I'll be okay," Aerith mouthed.

Without another word, Cloud allowed himself to be dragged by Tifa.

"Damn, never thought he'd be overprotective," whistled Jessie. She called the bartender for another drink, and Aerith swore that was her third one already. "Didn't know he could be."

"What can I say, he's good at his job," Aerith chuckled. She already started to feel lightheaded, and it was only her first glass too. Does alcohol take affect this quick?

"Since it's your first time drinking, you should take it slow, or else you're going to be barfing all over the place." Jessie said as she read her mind. She called the bartender for some water. Once it came out, she slid it over to Aerith. "Make sure you drink a shit ton of water or else you're going to wake up to a load of pain in the morning."

Aerith snickered. "You sound experienced."

"Trust me—don't go where I've been." The two young women laughed at their little chatter as the surveyed the people around them. From the distance, Aerith could make out the figures of Tifa and Cloud as the raven-haired tried to get the blond to go on the dance floor with her, only to be refused by the unmoving merc. So, she settled with just some chatting by the corner, which the blond was much happier with. Aerith spotted the slight, upward tilts of his mouth—that was the closest she was probably ever going to get at seeing a full-blown smile from the guy.

"They seem pretty close," Aerith decided to voice out. Jessie caught on with the topic and rolled her eyes, faking disgust.

"'Close' isn't even enough to describe the two," said Jessie. "Enigmatic couple, but can't blame them. Too much history, it makes my head spin."

"Aw, that's cute. I didn't know they were together."

"Well, uh, they're not," Jessie corrected. Even she had a hard time finding the right words to describe the two. "But they might as well be. Not too detailed about what's going on with the two now, but I don't dare butt in. I mean, I tried and that didn't end so well for me."

Aerith's ears perked. "You tried?"

" _Pfft_ , who wouldn't want to tap the ass of that sexy hunk? The charm and allure—he's got it all, don't 'cha think?"

"Uh…" Aerith wasn't too keen on openly agreeing with that statement when phrased that way, but Jessie laughed and took no offense to it.

"Guy's cold as the damn winters of Midgar," Jessie shivered for the heightened effect, "It'll take a bulldozer to get him to knock over. Tifa's got enough of the weaponry under her belt to break him down though. He even took this bodyguarding job for her."

"Really?" said Aerith, surprised at the revelation. "I didn't know that."

"Tifa's got a lot of connections, so when she offered it to him, he flat out refused. It took a lot of convincing, but he did it out of her wishes. We all are also glad he decided to take the job. Before, he would be doing things unknown where we didn't have the brightest clue when he would come back. Now, by protecting you, we can see him every night, safe and sound in Sector 7."

Aerith looked at Cloud over at the distance again. He wasn't joking when he said his sword wasn't for decoration.

"Now that you say it like that, glad I could help by making the job possible," Aerith smiled. The Ancient thought that was the end of the conversation about those two, but Jessie caught her off guard when she started to venture into deeper territory.

"Those two," Jessie took another shot before she spoke, "You know about the Nibelheim Case? They're one of the only survivors."

Aerith wasn't going to lie—her curiosity shot off to the roof when Jessie mentioned the tragic burning of an entire village. However, she knew this wasn't something she should listen to behind Cloud's and Tifa's back. Before she could somehow turn the direction of the conversation, Jessie went forward with the history.

"They were only fifteen when that lunatic Sephiroth went and burned everything to mere ashes. Parents were slashed, friends were slashed—everyone slashed. I don't know how Cloud got those SOLDIER eyes because he never was one and all that stuff. But what I do know is that there's a lot of mystery surrounding those two that only they can share with each other. It's a special connection the two of them have. _Pfft_ , so romantic it makes you cringe, doesn't it?"

"Haha, yup." Aerith didn't know what to say, but she wasn't afraid to show her discomfort. Jessie was so welcoming before, but as she told Cloud's story, Aerith couldn't help but notice how Jessie got a bit scarier, almost as if she was giving Aerith a warning. Her guess was correct.

"I might be wrong, but please don't try ruining things for them. They've gone through a lot," Jessie sighed. "Cloud's a good bodyguard, isn't he?"

Aerith looked at her reflection of the amber liquid in the glass before she managed a small smile. "Sure is. Makes me getting out the house a lot, lot easier."

"How old are you, Aerith?"

"Twenty-four."

"What?" Jessie almost dropped her glass. "Girl, you look _so_ young? You're older than all of us here! Minus Barret—the guy's a damn geezer. Haven't found a lover yet?" The mood instantly went back to the way it was before the topic change. Aerith, however, couldn't reel back into that mood as quick as Jessie did since she unknowingly asked a sensitive question.

"Not yet," Aerith answered, this time with a forced laugh to hide her discomfort. She was hesitant before she called up another glass of liquor. Jessie raised an eyebrow as the Ancient chugged the whole thing down. It burned her throat as if someone was scratching the inside of her throat with a fork, but it warmed her body in a delightful way. It made her feel like she was floating on a cloud while her mind suddenly became clearer when in reality, it was the exact opposite. "I'm still hung up a little bit about my first love."

"Ooo, sounds spicy! Who's the lucky guy who got a Cetra here always thinking about him?"

"… He was a SOLDIER. Who died in combat against Shinra," Aerith confessed. Only the liquor allowed her to say that out loud. Her green eyes moved from her glass to Jessie's so that they could see her reaction. The smile disappeared from Jessie's face as she realized how she touched a very sensitive topic.

"Shit, sorry, Aerith, I didn't know. Aw, fuck me and my buzzed mouth. I'm sorry for being aggressive earlier too, I just—"

"I know, I know, you're just looking out for your friends," Aerith assured her, glad to see that Jessie truly showed her regret and her good character. "It's an old story—nine years too old. I'm mostly over it, but you just can't help thinking about it from time to time, you know?"

"Of course. Feel free to spill your heart out—or not—tonight. Nothing alcohol can't solve." Jessie held her glass up to the girl. "Cheers to your first time ever drinking."

"Cheers."

And Aerith took another shot. Eventually, it reached a point where Aerith lost count of how many glasses she had.

Over at the corner, Cloud and Tifa had finished talking about the various things that he had missed out on whenever he went off for bodyguard duty. When he thought the conversation was going to end soon to mark the start of them heading back to their group of friends, Tifa had one last thing to say, one that completely caught him off guard.

"This might be a misunderstanding on my part, but… is there something going on with you and Aerith?"

Cloud's eyebrows raised slightly in surprise, not at all expecting that type of question to come from Tifa. "… Why are you asking?"

"So there is something going on? Sorry, I don't mean to be so nosy, but—"

"No, nothing's going on," he answered. He had also told her about what went on during his bodyguarding, but he omitted some details for obvious reasons. Tifa must've caught on to that, but since he already gave an answer, she didn't push it anymore.

"Um, do you think they're okay over there?" Tifa let go of all conversations and turned his attention back towards the counter where they left Aerith and Jessie to mingle. Cloud directed his gaze over to where Tifa pointed out and nearly choked on his saliva with what he saw.

Jessie was trying to tear Aerith away from a random guy who was merely just passing by when Aerith suddenly clung onto his arm. From the looks of it, Jessie desperately tried to pull the Cetra off while apologizing profusely to the young man. They were lucky; the man kindly assured that it was okay as he assisted Jessie by doing his part to get Aerith off.

"What the hell?" Cloud muttered.

Him and Tifa quickly made their way over to see what all the fuss was about. Jessie looked at them, and the relief that flashed by her eyes was tremendous.

"Yes, more manpower has come! This girl might look fragile but she's damn _strong!_ " Jessie grunted as she tried to pry Aerith's arm off while doing her best not to hurt her. She shot Cloud a glare when she just saw him standing there, watching the scene in pure bewilderment. "Don't just stand there!"

"You're the guy who told me off because of my flowers before, weren't you!" Aerith babbled as her glazed eyes accusingly stared down the man. "In Sector 8! I remember you!"

"I'm sorry, but I'm from Sector 4," the man gently tried to correct her. "I'm positive when I say I've never seen you before."

"Lies!"

"Aerith, really?" Cloud snapped out of his stupor from the absolutely ridiculous scene and finally stepped in to help Jessie pull the Ancient off. Tifa could only watch with worried eyes as Aerith put up resistance.

"Don't touch me, I have a magic staff! Look, I may seem like I can't fend for myself, but I'm perfectly armed!"

Cloud had a strange sense of déjà vu until he realized that those were the exact same words she spat at him when they first met at her place. That must've been her go-to phrase whenever someone tried to lay their hands on her. _This girl…_

"Let go, you bad drunk," Cloud chided as he worked together with Jessie to unravel her arms from the man's. "Jessie, you serious? You couldn't monitor how much she drank?"

"Well, I'm sorry that I was having a fun time talking with her to notice!"

Aerith finally let go when she recognized Cloud. Like a broken spell, she fully detached herself from the stranger and forgot all about him as she turned to face Cloud. Jessie and Tifa apologized over and over again to the man before they turned their attention back to the horribly drunk woman.

"Oh, it's you, Cloud!"

A sound of surprise escaped his mouth when Aerith suddenly threw her arms around his neck when he least expected her to. The force made him take a step back as his back hit against the counter. He could see how the bartender gave him amused looks, but walked over to the other side so that he wouldn't interrupt the fiasco that was happening right before his eyes.

"Aerith, c'mon," Cloud grunted as he tried to remove her arms from _him_ this time. One of the only things that ran by his mind now was the reminder to never _ever_ let her drink again and the sweet-smelling, intoxicating scent of her shampoo as she swayed wildly with him. If he thought he was taking care of a ten-year-old before, he was sorely mistaken then. The grown-up woman now acted like she had the brain of a five-year-old with the alcohol in her system. He winced when the strong smell of the liquor confirmed his suspicions as her breath fanned all over his face when she pulled back to speak.

"Cloud, the room is suddenly spinning. Perhaps you would know why?" she giggled as she stared right into his eyes. "Is this what alcohol does to you?"

"No, it only happens to idiots," he deadpanned. He shot Jessie and Tifa a look, who could do nothing but awkwardly watch. "Are you guys not going to help?"

"We would but…" Jessie shrugged. "This is just a gut feeling, but something tells me not to interfere." Tifa shared the same look as Jessie, but worse.

" _What?_ " Cloud could not understand the mind of these two females. They were on the same wavelength about something with each other that he did not pick up on. Before he could question what they could be possibly thinking, Aerith began talking again.

"You know, Cloud, you reaaaally hurt me last week," she half-slurred, half-shouted above the heavy bass of the music. Her eyes could barely focus as they struggled to remain open. "How dare you yell at me! Consent? _Consent?_ Why do I need consent to make you feel better! Must I fire you?"

"Aerith, we talked about this already," he said through clenched teeth. He would've thought the two women who were just standing there watching would at least give their conversation some privacy if they weren't going to help, but their ears were interested to hear the stuff Aerith spouted—the stuff he would like to be remained omitted forever.

"We did? Oh yeah, we did. In the church! Oh, how could I have forgotten? You were _so_ sweet—why can't you be like that _all_ the time?" Aerith's head lulled onto his chest as she laughed almost uncontrollably against it. Her hands unraveled themselves from his neck to clutch at his shirt instead. He held her by the shoulders and attempted to just pull her off like a sticker, but Jessie was right—she was _strong_. "You were so cute. Hey, hey, hey!"

"What, what, what?" Cloud responded irritably.

Then she went silent, which honestly scared all three. Alcohol poisoning? Instead, they witnessed the young woman transform from being hyper to somber in a matter of seconds. Her hands then traveled up to his face to cup it, shocking him greatly. If they weren't in front of people, he might have fallen trap to her touches again.

"You don't look like him at all…" she trailed, now going onto a topic that Cloud was not familiar with. "But you remind me so much of him anyway." The tears welled up in her eyes all of a sudden, and Cloud's annoyance quickly changed to worry.

"Hey, Aerith, are you alright?"

Tifa and Jessie sensed the change in mood and decided not to stand around eavesdropping for more juicy details any longer.

"Hey, Aerith, let's go to the bathroom," Tifa urged gently as she approached the Cetra. She laid a hand on her back and rubbed some soothing circles on it. "The alcohol is probably getting to you really badly. Do you feel like throwing up?"

Aerith completely ignored her as she continued to stare at Cloud's mako-stained eyes. Cloud didn't know how he knew, but she wasn't looking at him anymore—she was looking at someone else.

"Such beautiful eyes…If only I could see them one more time."

"Aerith?"

Cloud didn't know how it managed to progress as far as it did, but in one second, he was looking at her tear-ridden eyes, and in the next, he was looking at the lips that leaned forward to kiss him.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Jessie yelped, realizing how quickly the tables were turning as she went over to give her assistance. Tifa's hand stopped its circular motion on Aerith's back as her eyes opened the widest they could without straining the eye muscles.

"Too close," Cloud breathed, and everyone released a sigh of relief when they saw the hand that popped up right in time to block her mouth from touching his. Instead of him, her kiss landed on the inside of his gloved hand. Aerith blinked at him confusingly before her eyes widened and her form bent over, finally detaching herself from the blond as she held a hand over her mouth.

"Bathroom, bathroom, take her to the bathroom," Jessie advised as Tifa snapped out of it and quickly led Aerith to a toilet to throw up. Cloud released the breath he didn't know he was holding as he slumped onto a chair and watched with a baffled expression the two women as they stumbled to the nearest bathroom. His chest thumped wildly, and he didn't know if it was his heart or the bass of the music. Jessie said a "phew" before she gave Cloud a suspicious look.

"Wipe that blush off your face, you fool," Jessie rolled her eyes. "What, never had a woman close before?" He shot her an accusing look.

"Your mouth is always like this, isn't it?" He held up a hand and opened and closed his thumb and fingers together repeatedly. "Even when we're running for our lives during patrol."

" _Please_ , your mouth was going to do _this_ if your quick thinking didn't happen," and Jessie shot the fire back by doing the same thing as him but with two hands smacking against each other. "Boo! Take it outside!"

His face morphed into one of disgust as he watched how her hands started to just entangle with each other wildly and shook his head.

"She's usually not like that," he then said, not wanting anyone to think badly of Aerith.

"You think I don't know?" Jessie snapped. "But you know what they say, drunk talk is honest talk. You guys seemed _real_ close."

"There's nothing going on between us."

"Could've fooled me. Don't get fired now, alright, Pretty Boy?"

In the bathroom, Tifa could only wince at Aerith's pain as she vomited into the toilet bowl. One thing Tifa was glad about was the clean toilet stalls—Midgar's best bar wasn't just a title for the drinks they had.

"Let it out," Tifa encouraged as she rubbed Aerith's back. "Gosh, that Jessie."

"Don't blame her," Aerith managed to say in between her vomiting. "I went a little too fa— _oof!_ " She hurled forward as she gagged. "Ugh, sorry that you have to see me like this."

"No worries. You're going to sober up after this. Throwing up is the best remedy, ironically."

"Never again," Aerith grimaced with a light shake of her head. Her skin was all clammy as her hair started to fall out of its braid in tumbles from her loose ribbon. It fell to the floor, and Tifa resorted to collecting all of her long hair into her hand as she held it from hanging all over the toilet. "You're really kind, Tifa. I can feel it."

"You can feel it?" Tifa asked, confused on what she meant by that. Aerith showed a weak smile.

"Not sure if you would understand, but I can feel for people's essences. It's the whole Planet talk I was going on about earlier," Aerith explained vaguely. "Humans are hard to interpret, but it's easy to catch on when it leaks. For you, your kindness leaks from your core easily. It's very rare to see that in people."

"Why, thank you." It sounded almost like a question since Tifa didn't quite understand what she was rambling about, but she knew it was a huge compliment. "That's quite an amazing power."

"Haha, sure. Aw, shit." Feeling the nth wave of nausea, Aerith paused in her talking to resume the retching. Tifa smiled a bit as she patted her back. _She's a good girl._

When they finally emerged from the bathroom, with Aerith somewhat washed up, Cloud had a hard time recognizing her. The hair that came off of her usual braid cascaded down in waves and curls down to her lower back. Her skin looked pale as she stepped out, looking like she just returned from war or something. Seeing that all her energy was gone and replaced with weariness, Aerith must've sobered up.

"Prepare for your first hangover tomorrow," Jessie warns as she replaced Tifa with the back rubbing. "Sorry for not watching how much you drank earlier. Should've stopped you."

"I think I knew myself, but I didn't really care, so it's not your fault," Aerith assured. She sat on the chair next to Cloud as she leaned her head on the counter, too exhausted to do anything anymore. Barret, Wedge, and Biggs had gathered as well as they finished eating and talking.

"Party ending early tonight?" Biggs asked as he saw Aerith's limp form. It was a no-brainer to know what she just went through. It was too bad that the three men didn't see the whole show with their own eyes.

Aerith brought her head up and shook it. "Aw, no, don't let my drunk butt ruin the celebration." She waved a hand to signal that she was okay, but it went limp as it fell back on the counter. "I'll be fine. I'm just… going to chill here. Perhaps take a nap even."

Cloud sighed, never doubting the eventual overtime he had to do. "You guys can stay. I'll just take her home. It's in Sector 5, which shouldn't be too far away."

"No, I'll be fine," Aerith insisted, not wanting to spoil the mood, but Cloud was already knelt on a knee, signaling for her to get on his back.

"Just get on. Elmyra's going to question me too if I bring you back too late."

"But—"

"I think you should go home and rest up, okay?" Tifa interceded for Cloud. She handed her the fallen pink ribbon and nodded. "We're definitely going to hang out more, so don't worry if you think this is our last time together." Jessie gave a thumbs up while the men nodded. Aerith looked at all of them before giving them a very apologetic look.

"Sorry that a grown woman couldn't handle her own liquor."

Biggs waved a hand to cast her apology off. "Happens to first-timers."

"Call it a rite of passage," Barret offered. "You just went through it—just a little bit late in life."

"Thanks, guys."

Heeding everyone's kind and understanding words, Aerith climbed onto Cloud's back and securely wrapped her arms around his neck as he hoisted her up. He had to blow her hair out of his mouth when it suddenly surrounded him like a jungle of vines.

"Catch you guys later." And Cloud left the bar with Aerith.

"Guess he had to do overtime after all," Wedge said sadly as he continued eating the chicken he ordered earlier. "She was real nice though. Hey, any of you guys willing to tag along to Sector 1 someday with me? She said there was _awesome_ pizza there!"

"Someday, Wedge, someday," Biggs humored the chubby man. "Anyways, what now?"

"Go chat up some women, you single ass, while I'll be cruising along for Mr. Right," Jessie winked, spirits never dampened even with the leave of two members. "Tifa, you're going along because you have to make sure I don't go jumping into a guy's bed too soon!"

"Oh my gosh, Jessie!" Tifa held a hand up to her mouth at how suggestive she was, but before she could have any say, Jessie pulled her by the arm and into the sea of people.

~.~.~

"You still with me?"

"Mhm."

They were half-way to her home as Cloud continued to trudge on with Aerith's light weight on his back. It was bit awkward since Cloud had to remove his sword from his back and just carry it with one hand while the other continued to hold her up with periodic hoisting. He would've called for a chocobo carriage, but Aerith insisted that she wanted to continue seeing the night sky as they walked even if that meant him tiring unnecessarily.

"Sorry," he heard her murmur into his ear. He tilted his head away a little bit; her whispering so close to his ear made him feel all sorts of things.

"Do you want the nice response or honest response?"

"How about you just keep quiet, you."

"You sure made a drinking debut. Not going to lie—troublesome but funny."

"Oh, haha, go on and blackmail me now," Aerith laughed sarcastically. "But _boy,_ that stuff hits _hard_ when you least expect it to."

"Like I said, only happens to idiots."

"Continue lecturing me like a dad the entire night why don't you?" Then she quieted as she remembered all the chaos she caused. All of it was fuzzy in her memories, but that didn't mean she forgot any of it. She started to grow hot in extreme embarrassment when she relived how she literally almost forced herself on Cloud and hid her face in his shoulder in shame, earning a question from him.

"What, you starting to realize everything you just did? Comes with the post-drinking regret, I assure you."

"Like you have to tell me that. Sorry again."

"It's fine."

Aerith wasn't sure if he meant it with the way he hesitated to say that, but she didn't want to think about it anymore as she remained quiet for the rest of the trip home.

When Elmyra greeted them by the door, she asked no questions as the both of them reeked of booze. She had to wave her hand in front of her nose too just to ward off the stench. A disappointed frown wrinkled her forehead at the both of them, but she didn't say anything as she let Cloud bring her drunk daughter inside. Cloud only gave an apologetic look before he slowly climbed the steps up to Aerith's room. Settling her down on her bed, he leaned his sword against her dresser and made sure her form was fully in bed.

"Sorry, and thanks again." She sat back up however and stood. "Though I don't want to, I'm going to go brush my teeth real quick to get this horrible taste out of my mouth." Before Cloud could dismiss himself from her home in general, she shut the door to the bathroom, leaving him to wait for her in her room.

Her room was very simple now that he had the time to look around unlike last time. A regular room, with a desk, a few potted plants, and a huge window that allowed the sunshine to greet her every morning. Across her bed stood a bookshelf lined with books while a lamp sat next to the bed on the dresser. Everything looked neat and tidy—nothing looked out of place. However, one thing did catch his eye though.

On her desk stood a picture frame, but there was no picture in it. It looked like it was meant to be there too and not just randomly placed there. Before he could think of any reasons why, the bathroom door opened and out came a refreshed Aerith.

"I feel like a new person," she joked as she went over to her bed and laid back down, slipping her form underneath the blanket. Cloud awkwardly stood as he looked at her, not sure what he was supposed to do. She turned onto her side to face him before she pouted. "Tuck me in."

"… Huh?"

Then, she threw off the blankets she originally already placed over her body and repeated her request in a childish manner. _Really?_ he asked silently through his eyes. Even when tired, she still managed to remain playful until the very end.

"I haven't had anyone tuck me in in such a long time. Humor me a little bit, won't you?" Her eyes smiled at him as she looked at him expectantly. Something about her pleading like a child and hair all over her face and pout playing at her lips was too cute. Hesitantly, he knelt down once more and, with one hand, brought the blanket over her body.

"Happy?"

She laughed softly. "Very. Now hand."

"Excuse m— _what?_ "

"How many times have you said that already?" She clicked her tongue disappointingly before she took his hand for herself. Annoyed with the glove that he always wore, she pulled it off of him, and he could only stare at her, stunned at all her bold movements. For a moment, he thought that she was going to hold it, but the silly assumption disappeared when she placed his hand on her own head and let go. "Pat me to sleep."

"… Is something the matter?"

"You're getting sharper, aren't you?"

"With your mood fluctuations, sure."

Aerith muffled her giggles into her blanket as Cloud humored her and started to awkwardly pat her head gently in a slow and calming matter. He felt weird; he never did this to anybody before, so he wasn't quite sure how she felt when she closed her eyes. Was she going to sleep? When should he leave?

Right when he was going to dumbly ask her, she saved him from the effort as she began speaking as her eyes remained closed. "Really sorry about today. I ruined your fun with your friends. It seems like you guys don't go out of Sector 7 together that often."

"It's fine," and he found him saying that quite a lot today. "You made it fun with how stupid you are, so it makes up for it."

"Just when I thought you were going to say something sweet again," she huffed. She shifted in her bed to get comfier. "Then again, you only say remotely nice things when I'm all weak and vulnerable, don't you?" He didn't answer to this because he didn't want to admit to it. He oddly had a soft spot for her—probably because he shared some of the same things she felt. To confirm his beliefs, she said, "You feel the loneliness too sometimes, right? With those mako eyes of yours."

"I feel like an open book," he scoffed. "Are you ever going to tell me how you do it?"

"Secret," she teased, hinting that it was a topic for another day. "Hard to get other people to understand, right? You're so secretive after all."

"Not true," but the tone of his voice said otherwise. After unintentionally learning about his past a little bit, Aerith knew that he had so much more going on in that head of his every time he got attacked by the poison.

"Let's talk about it some time, hm?"

"Talk about what?"

"Everything," she whispered, and she opened her eyes again to gaze into his. "Doesn't that sound absolutely exciting?"

Never has he talked about his past since that cursed day. He never wanted to because he never wanted to relive those terrible experiences again through words. How many times have he seen those disappointed ruby eyes on him, begging him to just rely on her, to depend on her, to _tell_ her what caused his aching. The only thing he could burden her with was the fact that he was there by her side as flames took everything away from them in one single sweep of a long sword. He swore to himself that he was going to keep it within him forever to mourn and repent, to never forget what he saw that day and the sacrifices that were made for his survival.

Yet he found him saying "okay" to the green-eyed beauty in front of him, who never let the softness of her gaze go as she nodded encouragingly. He didn't understand: how could he open himself up to a woman who he barely met so easily?

"My mom used to do this for me before I went to sleep," Aerith yawned, referring to his soothing head patting. "I miss it."

"Well, you can also go ask her to do it again. I'm sure Elmyra would understand."

"I meant my real mother."

 _Oh._ Cloud froze in his movements for a split second as he processed what she meant. He didn't know if it would be inappropriate to ask questions, but once more, Aerith spared him the difficulty of asking.

"We were happy together. Even if we lived in locked up rooms in Shinra's underground testing facilities."

"Shinra… testing facilities?" Cloud looked away, eyes closed as hints of Aerith's past crushed him like an iron press. He always knew that her life didn't come easy, especially during the times before Shinra was defeated by their very own SOLDIERs five years ago. He couldn't imagine what kind of experiments they ran on her, and he started to feel guilty for all those times he criticized her abilities to defend herself, even if they were just jokes.

"She took most of the experiments for me in my stead. They preferred that way too, since her blood was pure. She would be gone for who knows how many days before she returned to our room, all weak and frail as she collapsed onto our ironically extravagant bed. It wasn't before… my father, one of the scientists, let us escape. Then I never saw him again; I only felt his soul enter the Lifestream."

Cloud stopped patting her head as his hand traveled slowly to her shoulder, where he gripped it in a firm hold. He didn't know if it was just the alcohol talking again, and even though he wasn't saying anything in response, he listened wholeheartedly as she spilled her past to him.

"But she never stopped to pat my head," Aerith continued to reminisce fondly. "She patted my head as she told me about the world above the underground, and how beautiful the real sky was. It all sounded… _strange._ And unreal."

"Well, it's not unreal," said Cloud.

Aerith cocked an eyebrow up, not expecting him to say anything at all during her monologue. "I'm twenty-four now—it would be a real shame if I still thought that way."

"Sorry."

"No, I'm sorry." Before he could repeat what he had said so many times earlier in response, she made his heart skip a beat when she finished her apology. "For almost kissing you and for possibly giving you a potential scarring."

"How'd you know it would be traumatizing?"

"Okay, you were supposed to deny that!"

Cloud couldn't help the tiny smirk that played at his lips, something he tried so hard to suppress. Her reactions were dangerous—it almost made him break his image so many times.

"It's fine," he nevertheless repeated. "Alcohol gets you trapped in a different world sometimes when an idiot like you goes crazy on it." Aerith completely ignored his attack on her decisions tonight once more as her ears tuned in to listen to what he had to say. "And I know… that who you tried to kiss wasn't me, so uh, I understand. Surprisingly."

"Surprisingly? What, never thought you had it in your heart to understand this sort of romantic thing?" she laughed as he retracted his hand from her form when she turned over to lie on her back, her eyes no longer on him as she stared at her white ceiling. "But you're right. Your eyes reminded me of my first love."

"Ah." Then he connected two and two together. "SOLDIER?"

"Mhm. He died nine years ago in combat against Shinra. During the time of the Nibelheim Incident." Aerith glanced over to see what his reaction would be. If he had any sort of emotional reaction to the mention of his hometown, then he didn't show it. Not even a single eye blink as he continued to listen to her, and it was at that moment that Aerith harbored a sad fascination for his skills to keep his cold front always steady and steeled. "I don't know how he died, but I know he died a hero."

"I'm sorry for your losses."

"Oh, don't be so apologetic looking—it's been a long time. I'm just remembering some stuff, is all." She turned on her side to look at him again. Holding out her hand, she managed a small smile. He looked at it as if she was offering him a bomb, which honestly made her want to break out in laughter at how everything she did seemed foreign and strange to him. Without waiting for him to initiate anything, she took his own hand in hers and grasped it tightly. He only loosely responded.

"Life happens, right? Everyone dies eventually, and everyone dies for a reason. If I think like that, then it makes it all better. Like a spell!"

"…yeah."

"So keep on living because we don't know when our own fates suddenly stop running with time. Sigh, doesn't that sound so magical?"

"… Words of a wise Ancient?"

"Words from a girl named Aerith."

She let him go and finally slipped her arm back inside the warmth of her blanket. Closing her eyes, she signaled the creeping slumber that threatened to overtake her. "Thanks for keeping me company, Cloud. You're… a good bodyguard."

"Thanks."

He stood up, knowing now that it was the time to leave. He grabbed his sword and swung it over his back, waking himself up in order to traverse through Sector 5 and 6. Taking a step towards the door, he had one last thing on his mind that he wanted to say. Before she could go to sleep, he said it.

"Hey… your first love. What was his name? I… might know him."

Silence.

Aerith had already fallen asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for your comments :)) Sorry that I don't reply, I feel like I would say the same thing over and over again so I'll just say it once here! Thanks for being supportive and showing your love for the fic! This is chapter 6, and I actually have 9 chapters on FF so it's catching up! I just don't wanna rush uploading it on AO3 you know cause that would feel kind of clogging for me hehehe but feel free to hop over to FF if you can't wait here xd Like I said, I'll be posting every day until it catches up, so three more days and I'll be posting chapters on FF and AO3 synchronously! 
> 
> Enjoy this chapter~`

_Red. Red-stained clothes. Red-stained skies. Red-stained grounds. The only thing he could see was red as he scraped his fingers into the dirt in a desperate and anguished attempt to just get up—to get up and_ _**do** _ _something. His vision could only form mere blurs as his sapphire orbs tried to focus on that shadowed being, whose hair flowed almost majestically as his blade seemed to encompass up the entire village with its length. His towering figure hovered over the body of a young girl as the tip of his sword moved the hair out of her face; just a little bit more pressure and he could've drawn blood._

_"T-tifa!" he screamed, but no sound came out. The roaring flames swallowed up his voice, rendering it useless as he managed to get to his knees even if it meant scraping the skin off of it. "Tifa! Tifa!"_

"Tifa!"

Cloud sprung out of bed as his arm instinctively reached for his sword by the side. Grabbing its hilt, he expected to confront the red fire that darkened his vision and ate his skin alive, only to see black. It was still night outside.

_Knock knock!_

"Cloud! Are you okay?"

With the adrenaline still coursing in his blood, Cloud went over to open the door. His eyes greeted the worried Tifa with relief. Without thinking, he pulled her inside his room and encased her in a vice-gripping hug, feelings of that day still fresh in his mind as his eyes closed shut and breathing almost labored.

"Cloud, you're alright, you're alright," Tifa struggled to speak as she patted his back as much as she could with her constrained arms. "What's wrong? Did you have that nightmare again?"

Wordlessly, he nodded into her shoulder, reveling in her scent to make sure that she was still there in one piece. They stayed like that in his pitch-black room for a while as Tifa waited patiently for all of the feelings from his nightmare to subside. It was only when her voice spoke up again that he let her go.

"Cloud, you're hurting me."

"Sorry." He separated his frame from hers and kept his hands on her shoulders briefly before letting it fall back to his sides. Wobbling over to his bed, he harshly sat down, springs creaking in complaint from his heavy weight. Tifa took a water bottle from the corner, sat next to him, and handed it to him, just like she always did whenever he violently woke up like this in the middle of countless nights. He accepted it gratefully and drank a couple mouthfuls before he capped it again. "Sorry," he repeated.

"Don't be sorry over this. You never need to be sorry."

"I'm sorry that I couldn't do anything."

The frown that appeared on her face couldn't be anymore disapproving as she leaned forward so that she could see his downcast face. Remorse painted every feature of it as his hands clasped tightly together. Within the dark, she couldn't see how he shook slightly.

"Cloud, look," she grabbed his shoulders so that he could face her and look her in the eyes. His gaze darted to the side when she did. " _Nothing_ was your fault that day. Please, what can I say to convince you? Only one person is to blame all this, and it's not you, so please," it was her turn to hide her face in his shoulder, "Let's just live our lives moving forward, okay?"

Cloud shut his eyes again, not wanting to talk anymore about it. He didn't want to burden her any longer with this brooding topic. If he was going to remain a slave to the past, then there was no reason to bring Tifa along with him.

No words were exchanged between them for the rest of the night. Tifa stayed for comfort, eventually falling asleep against him when she couldn't keep her eyes open anymore. As for Cloud, he could only stay sitting there, staring at the grey-stained walls of his room as he went through every single piece of memory he could remember from that fateful night. It was until sunrise when slumber finally took over his heavy eyelids and cast him into the dark, dreamless realms of sleep once again.

~.~.~

Aerith took a curious peek at her bodyguard while she sold her flowers in Sector 1. From the second he picked her up at Sector 5, she knew something was up with him. His frown was deeper than usual, and the fatigue underneath his eyes was evident from a night's restless sleep. She didn't crack any jokes nor did she do any teasing; she knew he wasn't going to appreciate any of it today.

His eyes didn't even seem to watch her either. Gaze blank at her figure, Cloud barely blinked as his mind traveled somewhere else. He didn't even notice how she was approaching him until she was right in front of him five feet away.

"Done?" he asked, snapping out of it. He looked at the sky—it was nowhere near dark yet. Then he looked at her flower basket: full. "What, ending early today?"

"I'm in the mood for something to eat," she said with a small smile. "Care to join me?"

"Not like I have a say in any of it."

"Haha. Let's have a chat too, shall we?"

He blinked twice this time in question. The tone of her voice made him think back to that brief time where she gave him her business-like exterior. Wondering what was up, he followed as she led him through the busy streets of Sector 1. They stopped at a tea shop, and it didn't take long for him to figure that this was a place she frequented. Flower pots were everywhere to decorate the front, giving it a warm and homey atmosphere. He held the door for her, the scent of coffee and cake immediately greeting him.

"Aerith! Come to sell your flowers again?" one of the people at the register happily waved.

Aerith beamed as she nodded. "Yup! Looks like business is going well for you!"

It wasn't long before the two got seated at a cute, round table with a single flower in a thin vase on top by the window. He already felt uncomfortable being in such a pink and frilly shop; his black battle outfit and gigantic sword looked threatening in such a setting.

"What would you like to have, sir?" One of the waitresses already came up and asked for their order. He didn't even open the menu yet—not like he was going to open it anyway. Aerith beat him to the punch as she cheerfully ordered chrysanthemum tea and strawberry cake for her and a cup of black coffee for Cloud.

"How'd you know I drank it black?" he asked when the waitress left.

Aerith gave him an amused look. "You look like you do." She didn't mean just his preference.

"…Fair." Putting an elbow on the table, he leaned his face on it. "Anyway, what's up? Said you wanted to talk?"

"It's nothing serious." Their orders came quickly as the waitress brought out her tea, his coffee, and a cute slice of strawberry cake. Aerith let out a small squeal of happiness as she took a fork and ate a bite, shaking her fists again like she always did whenever she ate something tasty. "So good and fluffy! Do you want to try?"

"No, tha—"

"Say 'ah'!"

Cloud nearly tipped his chair over with the way he backed away from the fork that suddenly got shoved in front of his face. Aerith leaned over the table with a gleam in her eyes as she encouraged him, waving the utensil filled with cake in her hand. Over his dead body would he ever let her feed him, so he took the fork out of her hands and put it in his mouth just to humor her. What he didn't expect was a flavorful explosion in his mouth. The fluffiness of the cake melted in his mouth as he chewed slowly, finding it more pleasant than he thought it would be.

"Good, isn't it?" chuckled Aerith as she took her fork back. He simply grunted a confirmation before he swallowed. "You alright?"

"Hm?"

Aerith waved a hand over her face in one circular motion. "You're not looking too good today." Cloud hadn't looked at himself in the mirror today and frowned. Did he really look that bad? "Something on your mind?"

"None."

"… right. Anyway, to the point. It's bright out, we have warm beverages, a cute flower in front of the table, and—"

"To the point?" he interrupted, seeing how she was going off on a tangent already. Aerith pouted a bit at having her poetic dialogue end shortly, but she sipped her tea and cleared her throat before she continued.

"You asked before how I did it. Kicking the headaches out your, well, head."

"Ah. Right." Finally, he was going to get some answers. "Will it be something I understand?"

"Well, that depends."

"On?"

"How good I am at explaining it," and she snickered into her cup as she took another sip of tea, earning a roll from his eyes. "No one cared to ask, so you're about to get a unique one-on-one lesson on how Cetra powers work from the only one left standing. Don't you just feel _so_ privileged? You can pass this knowledge down to your kids too, and they're going to be like—"

"To the point."

"Right. So how it works. Hm… how it works…"

Cloud felt like he was getting played like a fool as he watched the Cetra get confused herself about her own abilities. "Really?"

"Oh shoo, just give a girl a minute! Okay, so, so, so. Here's how it goes." She held up her two hands in between them and nodded. "Mako is the energy of the Planet, and the form you're used to knowing about is in liquid form. Being half-Cetra, I have _some_ ability to interact with it in a way where it's communicative almost. I would be a lot better if I was a full-blood; that way I wouldn't be near collapsing every time I manipulate its flow. However, we're stuck with what I got."

"You're not losing me so far."

"Great, 'cause you're just about to." She intertwined the fingers of her hands and started to tangle them together. It was the wrong time for Cloud to remember how Jessie did the same, but under a different context—a very different context. "Sir, you can't lose me yet when I haven't even started explaining!"

"Sorry, go on," he coughed.

"Mako poisoning happens to people when mako enters the system. The amount that causes the poisoning varies from person to person. The weaker the mentality, the less amounts of mako needed to just mess you up. I mean, you know all about this, don't you? Shinra and the—"

"Makonoids," and he shivered at just the mention of them. "If I ever have to see another one again, I think I'll lose my ability to sleep forever."

"Seen one before?"

"Twice. On infiltration missions."

"Well, I'm sorry you had to see something like that." Aerith offered him a grim smile, which he shook his head at before signaling for her to go on. "There are two ways mako poisoning can go about if you survive. One is that eventually, when the mind gets stronger and time passes, the mako will just leave your body and won't cause long-lasting effects. However, as time passes and you still have the symptoms…"

Cloud's ears perked up at this. The answer he was always trying to find was finally coming. He didn't trust any of Shinra's bullshit explanations and the research they published. With all the dumb lies, fake news, and brainwashing propaganda they managed to control the people with, he wasn't going to trust anyone who decided to lecture him. Aerith, on the other hand, seemed to be the real deal.

"If you still have the symptoms a long time after the initial poisoning, then that's just a mentality issue at that point."

"Mentality issue?"

She nodded. "I'm not lying when I say I'm not sure how it works, but when a person's unable to overcome the mental strains that mako poisoning causes, the mako, instead of leaving the body, periodically forms clumps. Like this," and she emphasized her hands. "That's where your headaches come from."

"Clumps?" Now he got lost.

"Yeah, sorry, I don't know, that's the best way I can explain it. In your case, the mako will never leave your body because…" Aerith didn't want to say it lest she unintentionally flipped a switch like last time, but he shook his head.

"I was bathed in it for a long time?" It was more a statement than a question.

"Yeah. But that doesn't spell all doom! You can live with it peacefully. It'll only cause problems when you reach a stage of mental fragility. Like a dormant virus."

"… I see."

"And how I make you feel better is using my powers to de-tangle that clump," she finishes, and she untangles her fingers apart. "I manipulate it so that it doesn't clog up and allow it to run freely within your body. It takes a lot of effort, and I do it best when I feel the, uh," Aerith's cheek colored a bit, which was a first for him. She never appeared flustered—ever.

"When you feel?" he pegged.

"When I feel the closest to you. You know, the whole," she tapped her forehead, "this."

Because she was feeling awkward, he was beginning to feel it too. To get their minds off of it, Aerith ate her cake and Cloud took his first sip of coffee.

"Good?" she asked.

"Yeah." He pondered her words for a few moments as he looked at the dark color of his coffee. Aerith patiently waited for any questions while busying herself with her cake. "Wait, so is there a way to get it not to form clumps?"

"That is why," she sighed, "I told you to rely on others the first time I experienced one of your migraines. To talk it out and cleanse your mind spiritually, remember?"

Already, Cloud did not like the sound of that, and Aerith knew. "Really. That is the only way, or at least, it is in my book."

"I—"

"Do you want to live the rest of your life possibly dealing with those terrible pains?" Aerith frowned, voice stern and serious. "Sure, if I was a normal human, I would believe you if you say it's not that painful, or it's not that bad, but I'm _not_. And I _know_ , Cloud. And it doesn't even have to be me. Depending on others, seeking comfort from others—that is the only way your body doesn't become conflicted with the mako running through your veins. A clear mind and an open mind are the only remedies I can suggest for you."

Cloud's eyebrows knitted together as he considered her words carefully, but he instantly cast the notion away. Seeing his conflict, Aerith reached her arm over the table and gently laid her hand over his gloved one.

"What happened to talking?"

"What?"

"You said that we could talk," she smiled. "When we were in my room. You agreed."

Cloud took his hand away and refused to meet her eyes. He had only said it because he was in the moment, not because he wanted to. He had let his guard down, had let the emotions that came with the night, the alcohol, and the reminiscing take over him. Never again, he told himself. Never aga—

"I'll wait. And if it's not me waiting, it's someone important to you that will be waiting in the future. But enough! Baby steps is what gets the progress going, right?"

Cloud watched as Aerith stuffed the last piece of cake into her mouth in a very unladylike fashion. Chugging the rest of her tea, she wiped her mouth with a napkin and stood up, flower basket hung back onto her arm. "Let's go!"

"Wait—" but his words disappeared into the air as she left the tea shop, leaving him to pay the bill. "Typical."

"Let's end my business early and go back to Sector 7. We got seven hours of daylight left, we got to go!" Aerith said once he exited out the shop. "Come!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, what are we doing?" Cloud yelled after her when she began running down the streets of Sector 1.

"Secret!"

His mind was off the edge the entire train ride back home. What was scarier was the way she hummed a happy tune under her breath, signaling the upcoming disaster he knew was going to happen eventually.

When they entered the familiar scene of Sector 7 once more, Aerith looked around a bit, studying every type of shop and market stand the sector had. Cloud could only watch her dubiously, wondering what kind of screw got loose this time.

"Where's your place?"

"Right over there," and he pointed to his dingy apartment complex up the stairs. "But why?"

"Well then, let's go!"

"Excuse me?"

Aerith pulled Cloud by the wrist and ruthlessly dragged him along her pace as she crossed the fields of people and climbed the stairs of his apartment. Once they reached his room, she pointed to his door and grinned.

"Open her up already."

"Aerith, what are you—"

"Just do it!"

Cloud was never the one to listen to orders so easily, but Aerith's pushiness had some sort of power to it as he fumbled inside his pockets to fish out the key to his room. He didn't even have time to pull the key out when Aerith barged right in once unlocked.

"Hey!" He propped the door open—that was one of the only ways to get some light in to see the place. Aerith's mouth was open in both shock and disappointment; he didn't know which one was greater. The bed made out of rock, the singular closet, the measly pack of water bottles by the side, the stained walls, and the small rectangular hole that he called a window—none of it impressed Aerith.

"Seriously? You sleep in here _every_ night?"

"Where do you expect me to sleep, outside?"

"Even outside would be better! At least you would see the regular cycle of day and night. In here, it's like some torture chamber!

"Alright, trash my place all you want."

"Oh, we're going to be doing a lot more than just trashing. Time for new design. Up for window-building?"

"Window _what?_ " He looked around his room, feeling like he was missing something here or if she was just crazy. Deciding that she was just spouting her usual nonsense, Cloud shot her an incredulous look. "Are you trying to tell me we're going to build a window?"

"How else would we get sunlight in?"

"Aerith, a _window?_ " He repeated. "There's no way we can—"

_Blast!_

A destruction that probably rumbled the entire apartment complex pierced his eardrums. He instinctively covered his eyes with an arm, and when he looked back up, a gigantic, gaping hole to the outside greeted his vision as some crumbs of the destroyed wall rained down on the floors of the inside. His eyes couldn't pop out any more than they did before they darted over to Aerith, who looked impressed at her work as she dematerialized her staff.

"Nice, not too big, yet not too small. We can work with it."

"Aerith, did you just fucking _blast_ a hole in the wall of my room?" Cloud spluttered, losing his cool instantly. "It's not even my property! Marle's going to _shit_ on me."

"Landlord? Oh, don't worry about that. We're going to upgrade your room so much that she'll have an increase in value for her complex!" Aerith said cheerily as she clapped her hands together. It was as if she didn't see the gaping hole in front of her at all. "But of course, we'll have to finish it all up before she finds out, won't we?"

"You just tore a hole in my wall," he said again, letting it all register to him. The door closed behind him, but he didn't need to prop it open anymore for light. "A hole."

"Soon to be window," she corrected while holding an index finger up. "Now enough dilly-dallying, it's time to go shopping for some materials and equipment!"

Cloud continued to look at the new hole in shock as Aerith dragged him out by the arm. The only thing he could think of was how Tifa was going to get so mad when she learns that he got kicked out by Marle for destroying her property. His shock barely faded away as he numbingly cruised by all the shops and stores and stands with Aerith for material for her creation. From window panes, wood, and tools to paint and candles, Aerith picked everything out while _he_ paid for everything out of his pocket. The entire time, Aerith's joyful behavior almost poisoned him into believing that she didn't just rip a hole in his apartment.

They had to take multiple trips in order to carry all the stuff that was bought. With each trip came the return of the shock when he saw the hole again. He foolishly thought that if he just went in and out of the door a couple of times, the hole would magically disappear and that everything would just be a figment of his imagination. The hole never disappeared.

"You're being so dramatic!" Aerith laughed when she saw the death of his spirits. "Look, it's going to be _awesome_ , your new room, trust me. I have some experience in this whole crafting stuff."

"Crafting, huh?" That word was way too light to describe Aerith's ambition for his room. "Just simple _crafting_ , huh?"

Once Aerith deemed that they got enough material and equipment, they set out to begin the work. It was either to follow Aerith's will or get a verbal beating from both Tifa and Marle; Cloud obviously chose the former. With all the light now entering his room, he could see all of its imperfections: the dust, the grime, and the stained walls. But it wasn't like he cared.

"Step one in having a clearer mindset: surround yourself in a positive environment," Aerith stated with confident nods. "Your place needs a lot of tidying up today!"

"This wasn't part of the contract," Cloud muttered as he separated things accordingly. Then he looked at the imperfect hole and the rectangular window panes. "These obviously don't fit."

"No worries," and Aerith whipped out her staff and started to use her magic to carve the rectangular frame of their future window into the walls. Cloud had no idea how the two of them, who were not experienced at all in any type of home building, were able to hammer in the wooden sill, glue together the window panes, measure the correct dimensions of the frame, saw wood for the frame, nail things in, etc. He did most of the heavy work while Aerith ordered him under her artistic eye. Soon enough, a very basic window was constructed, and it didn't look quite bad either. Considering how they lived in the slums, it was more than enough in terms of neatness and aesthetics.

"Are you sure it's not going to just pop out with a tap?" Cloud asked suspiciously, eyeing the shoddy glue job. Aerith tested it out by knocking the back of her fist against it and smiled at the reverberation of the glass.

"I mean, of course, if you don't decide to punch it."

"That's not reassuring."

"Maybe I should change my occupation," Aerith shook her head, mockingly showing off her competence in this odd job, "I think I can reel in more gil with building design than with these flowers."

"Yeah, do it, so that _I_ can find a different occupation. So, are we done?"

"Sir," Aerith pointed to all the white paint buckets they bought. "Why did you think we got these?"

"…"

"It's time to paint!"

"Oh _hell_ , no, I'm not stinking up my place wi—" His words died in his mouth when Aerith shoved a paintbrush to his chest. She even rolled up her imaginary sleeves as she cranked open one of the buckets. Instantly, the smell of paint penetrated his nose, causing him to instantly cringe away from it. The color of the white paints made his "white" walls look so grey.

"You're going to love your new room so much, you're going to be all like 'Aerith, that goddess, I'm _so_ glad I met her because she changed my life and—'"

"Quit your fantasizing and start painting."

"Yessir."

The two already started to argue again the moment they placed their brush wet with white paint against the wall. Cloud insisted on up-and-down patterns while Aerith kept ruining it by painting side-to-side.

"You heretic," Cloud exasperated, disgust clear at the direction of her strokes. "No one paints that way. You can never be normal in anything, huh?"

"It'll all look the same, it doesn't matter," she insisted, continuing her side-to-side sweeps without a care for his concerns. "White is white!"

"You're not meant for design, take back your words. No one would ever hire you for a paint job. You might as well just take the damn bucket and throw it against the wall to make the job faster."

"Wait, that might be a good idea."

"I was just _kidding._ "

Cloud rubbed a hand over his forehead, completely done with the Cetra. Just talking to her drained his energy in a way he never thought it could before. In response to his dramatic actions, Aerith simply winked at him. "I know you're having fun with all this, don't hide it."

"Am _not._ "

"You're such a liar, did you know that?" Aerith took her paintbrush without thinking and started to wave it at him in a scolding manner. However, she didn't think of the consequences as some paint droplets flew over and splashed onto his black clothes and his face. She instantly put a hand over her mouth in shock as Cloud blinked rapidly and slowly wiped his cheek with the back of his gloved hand, which was a mistake on his part. He then looked up at Aerith, who smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry?"

"…"

"…"

"Come here," and Cloud ruthlessly dipped his brush into the bucket of paint without a hint of a smile on his face. Aerith watched as she slowly realized what he was going to do.

"Okay, wait, it was just an accident."

"You made me pay the bill at the shop, barged into my room, blasted a hole in it, emptied my wallet, made me build a window, forced me to paint my walls, and now you've stained my clothes with _white_ paint, which probably isn't going to come off," he listed almost endlessly in immense irritation. "Tell me it's an accident again."

"Wait, Cloud. _Eek!_ "

He swiped at her, successfully staining her upper arm white as she laughed and crawled away on all fours. Not going completely on the defense, Aerith grabbed her wet brush and scored another point on him as she slashed at his shoulder. What started off as a somewhat-friendly paint session became an all-out paint-war.

Aerith laughed uncontrollably as she dashed around as much as she could away from the angry blond in the tiny room of his. She held her brush out like a sword, daring him to come forth. He didn't give a single shit anymore since he knew he was going to throw away the set of clothes he had on currently anyway and allowed her to swipe at his chest as he swiped a line on her cheek. He wasn't one to partake in such foolish and childish activities, but something about the Cetra made him break all barriers.

"You're merciless against a maiden like me!" Aerith yelled as she bent over in pain from laughing so much.

"What about me then?"

"Oh my gosh, I just splashed you once by accident, and now you're trying to turn me into an art disaster! Not today!" Being cornered, Aerith flew past him and went out the door where she could have more space to avoid his unyielding attacks. He quickly went after her, not done ruining her day just yet.

They clambered down the stairs noisily, earning amused looks from the residents nearby as they watched two grown-up adults attack each other with paint. Aerith's loud laughter joyously rang in the air of the slums, brightening up the atmosphere of the work environment. A lot of people had to check their eyes twice to make sure that the blond that was chasing the young women was indeed Cloud. Never had they seen him so flustered before as the Cetra playfully circled him. His group of friends were among the spectators who stared in shock at the scene during their walk back to the bar after patrol. Tifa's and Jessie's mouths hung shamelessly open as they watched Cloud hook his hand onto the laughing Cetra's elbow, securing her in place. The crew wasn't blind towards the paint that stained their faces, skin, and clothes.

"You thought I was just going to remain quiet while you pushed me around? You hired the wrong guy," Cloud grunted as he landed his finishing move, aka a slick sweep down her arm. He wasn't that much of an asshole to stain her clothes, so he settled with any exposed skin she had. Satisfied with his revenge, Cloud let her go and put his hands on his hips, tired from the entire goose chase.

"You're actually so evil!" Aerith exclaimed, looking down at her arms and feeling the dried paint on her cheeks. She then looked over and examined him. A wide, white slash of paint stood blaringly against his chest while his arms and cheek also suffered. The two of them stared at each other in a moment of silence, observing the work they just did on each other.

Then, they burst into laughter, the both of them. That included Cloud.

"You look so _stupid_ ," he managed to say between his suppressed laughter. It felt weird—he hadn't laughed like this in ages.

"You're the one to talk! So, you _can_ feel human emotions!" Aerith said gleefully, seeing his laughter for the first time. "Step two in having a clearer mindset: laugh it all out!"

"You're just making it up at this point, aren't you?"

"Whatever works!"

"Ugh," he groaned as he felt the wetness of the paint against his chest. He had to deal with it for a couple more hours—those walls didn't paint themselves. "I'm going to ask Elmyra for a pay raise. Dealing with someone idiotic like you wasn't part of the deal."

"Blah, blah, blah," Aerith mocked, already hearing enough of the way he kept taking out his job as a bodyguard to blame. "The sun is almost down, let's get back to work!"

Aerith walked backwards with her hands clasped behind her back as Cloud walked forward, once again eyeing her feet so that she didn't trip and fall to her doom. She giggled happily before she skipped up the stair steps with a Cloud trailing behind her. Hints of his previous laughter remained as his lips curled up by the slightest. When the door shut behind them, it broke the trance his entire crew was in.

"Was that Cloud I just saw?" Barret questioned, taking off his sunglasses to look at the door just to confirm that it was, indeed, the door to his room. "Did he just _laugh_?"

"He's bewitched, guys, I'm calling it," Jessie shook her head. "Aerith's a sorceress that has the ability to brainwash, don't say I didn't warn you guys." It was all jokes for the fun of it, but Jessie couldn't shake off the uneasiness that clearly showed on Tifa's face as she replayed Cloud's laugh in her mind. When was the last time she heard him laugh like that? Years?

"Let's pay them a visit later, hm?" Jessie clapped Tifa on the shoulder. "It seems like they're, uh, doing something rather _messy_ in his room. Maybe a room makeover?"

"I wouldn't want to interrupt anything," Tifa said uncertainly, managing a small smile.

"Please, we won't. Come, let's wash up and grab something to eat before we crack down on the party!"

After two more hours, the sun finally went down. Aerith excitedly lit up the lantern she bought by placing a lit candle into it. It was just one candle, but it brightened up his entire room in a warm, amber color. They had finished painting, so now they let it dry, untouched. The stench of paint was strong, but the two of them had already gotten used to it, so the only thing they could smell now was the fruits of their labor. A new dresser sat by his new bed. A lamp also sat on top of it whenever he needed real, electrical light. In less than seven hours, his monotonous, lifeless room suddenly became clean, bright, and homey.

"Job complete! What do you think, what do you think?" asked Aerith, a hopeful gleam in her eyes as she anxiously waited for his opinion. Cloud surveyed the room as he crossed his arms.

"Not bad," he had to admit. He felt his new bed and his new, fluffy sheets. It sank under the weight of his hand—no more back pain during the nights. He then turned on the lights of his lamp, further enhancing the change the newly painted walls had on his room. "Not bad at all."

"See? I didn't blast a hole in your room for nothing," Aerith huffed triumphantly. She squealed as she climbed onto his bed and started to jump on it like a little kid. "This bed feels _so_ good! You can look sleep easier now."

"Huh?"

"You think I didn't notice?" She stopped her jumping and placed her hands on her hips, towering over him with her new height. "I'm not kidding when I say that living in a healthy environment helps the mind. You might not see a point in it immediately, but you'll slowly start to feel the effects of the new setting change soon enough."

"… I believe you." The white walls were already working their magic. Aerith smiled brightly at him before continuing her jumping.

"Want to join me?" she laughed.

"No. Now get down before you fall."

He spoke too soon because right after his warning, Aerith's foot landed awkwardly on the bed and caused her to descend towards the ground. Cloud quickly went up to the edge of the bed within one step and wrapped his arms around her waist to prevent her fall. When no sound of surprise escaped from her lips, he pulled away from her slightly with a frown. "You did that on purpose."

"No, I didn't," she said playfully, confirming his suspicions. She rested her elbows on his shoulders while her hands clasped together behind his head. Her figure towered over him in their new height difference, making him feel weird as he tilted his head to look up at her.

"So, you have the hobby to fake your falls? Now I'm a bit worried for your sanity."

"Of course, I would be worried too, but I know my prince would happily sweep me off my feet and catch me," she winked. He held in a breath when he felt her hand play with his hair a little bit.

"I'm not your prince," he said curtly to distract himself. For some reason, he couldn't pull away from her. It felt right, having her close, and he didn't know why. He just met her barely a month ago, but the emotional rollercoaster she forcefully strapped him into got him feeling all sorts of things he never felt before—or, at least, haven't felt in a long time. He was beyond tired. With the lack of sleep and bodyguarding and traveling and finally an entire room makeover, he should be feeling extremely grumpy and agitated. Instead, he felt a lot lighter, more carefree.

Happier?

He didn't know about that one. But one thing was for sure: her presence lowered down his walls. Her odd yet cheerful personality. Her strange quirks and contagious smile. The longer he stayed near her, the more he felt himself getting swept along with her near-questionable actions. But he didn't know if that was a good thing either. He didn't know a lot of the emotions Aerith pushed on him. But. He didn't mind. It almost made all the worries in his head go away. Almost.

"You entered your serious thinking mode all of a sudden. Care to share what's on your mind?" Aerith asked in a soft voice, tilting her head to the side cutely. Cloud scoffed as he looked away from her, kind of hating how she could read right through him just by looking into his eyes.

"Just thinking about how much you shake me up," he admitted, furrowing his eyebrows. He let her go, but her arms remained around him. "I'm not sure how I feel about it."

"What's making you so scared?"

His frown got deeper. "I'm not scared."

Aerith took a hand and placed her thumb on his forehead as she attempted to dissolve the frown on his face. It never disappeared. "You don't have to lie."

"What do you want me to say then? That I actually am scared?"

"Step three: saying what's on your mind," she stated. He rolled his eyes at her.

"So how many steps are you gonna make up for this healing regiment of yours?"

"As many as I need to get you to feel better."

"Why? Why are you helping a stranger like me? I'm just your stupid bodyguard." Cloud suddenly didn't feel comfortable with her being so close to him anymore, so he tried getting her arms off of him, but she trapped him within her hold as she pulled him closer to the point where his head rested against her chest. The intimacy was too much for him as his face started to burn. "Aerith—"

"A shattered heart is not something I can ignore," she said softly. She patted his head soothingly like a child as she let out a small hum. "A person asking for help through a cold and hardened exterior. How can I leave a person like that alone? A voice that is too scared to cry out—isn't that yours?"

"…"

"You don't think you deserve to be happy?"

Cloud couldn't answer her question immediately. It was a question that attacked everything that he believed in. It was his burden to carry, yet Aerith kept trying to break down his steely resolve with these difficult-to-answer questions. She was forceful, yet she was gentle—it was a huge oxymoron. A part of him wondered if it was because of the Cetra blood that ran through her veins. Communication with the Planet and caring for all of its life inhabitants—wasn't that her job? However, it felt wrong to think of it that way because maybe he wanted her to care, to care as a human and not as a Cetra. He didn't want to feel like an obligation; that was the worse.

At the end, he couldn't answer her, but she didn't hold him for an answer. Patiently, she will wait until he found one.

"You're really touchy," Cloud muttered instead. She smelled really nice despite the paint that was on her clothes. Not only did she smell nice—she felt really soft too. His hands itched to hug her back, but a part of him felt like he wasn't allowed to. His mind thought about Tifa for a split second, but the thought of her instantly went away as he listened to Aerith's thumping heartbeat. It was slightly quick.

"As long as it's comforting," she cooed. "You can hug me back, you know. I'm allowing permission for you to lay your hands on me."

The way she phrased it got him all hot and bothered. He wondered if she knew the double meaning behind her words. With the way she had been wrapping him all over her finger since he met her, he could argue for it. She wasn't as innocent as she seemed. Before he could respond back, violent knocking interrupted their moment.

"Yahoo! Anybody in there?" came Jessie's muffled voice. Cloud widened his eyes while Aerith immediately retracted her arms from his figure. The two of them looked at each other, both a little bit flushed in the cheeks.

"Didn't know you invited company. Excited to show off your hard work to your friends?" Aerith breathed, getting off his bed. She quickly made arranged the sheets back to their neatly appearance so that nothing looked suspicious.

"I didn't," he said gruffly before he made his way to the door. Opening it, he was greeted with the sight of Tifa, Jessie, Biggs, and Barret. Wedge wasn't part of the party—probably off snacking somewhere. The instant their eyes saw the interior of his room, Jessie almost dropped the bag of canned beer to the floor.

"What the _hell_? Holy shit, dude!" Jessie exclaimed as she took a step in, not bothering to wait for his invite. Tifa was speechless as she looked at the clean room and the white walls and the new bed and the window and the _light_. It was the window that caught everyone's attention.

"This was not here before. Boy, it's as if you blasted a hole right through your room for this glorious window!" Barret said with wide eyes. He couldn't be any nearer to the truth.

"Wait, is that what I heard this afternoon?" Tifa questioned. "Don't tell me you actually did it."

"Don't look at me. Look at her," and Cloud jerked a thumb over to Aerith, who held up two proud thumbs up.

"Isn't it great?" she sighed happily.

"Don't touch the paint," Cloud said to Biggs, who was about to test it with a finger. "It's still wet."

"Sweet job," Biggs whistled. "Did all this in one day?"

"Involuntarily, yes."

"I was going to say that Marle was going to get angry if she knew about this room remodeling, but never mind," Tifa half-whispered, amazed at the new renovation. "Cloud, I can actually _see_ your room."

"How'd you guys know about this?"

"We saw two hooligans throwing paint at each other," Biggs chuckled, earning looks of embarrassment from the two of them. "We could only wonder what you guys were doing with those brushes."

Cloud then eyed the bag of beer in Jessie's hand. Seeing the direction of his gaze, she held it up and waved it in front of his face. "Thought you might want some after a tiring day. Your room actually has the atmosphere for it too now."

Cloud, who was too tired to put up a fight, simply sat down on his bed and allowed them to do whatever they wanted. Letting out a celebratory yip, Jessie sat down on his floors cross-legged. Everyone else joined her on the floor as she handed everyone a beer except for Aerith, who kindly rejected her offer.

"I've had enough experience with alcohol to last me a lifetime," Aerith said with a shiver. "Please, enjoy yourselves."

The group began to laugh merrily as they drank in his newly brightened room. However, the celebratory mood was the last thing on his mind as his thoughts hazily went through everything that happened in his day. Tifa noticed the way he looked dazed; his mind was not with them at all. However, she didn't want to question it. She never questioned him. When everyone left to go home, including Aerith, he crawled into his new bed, relishing in its softness and comfort. The heat that he felt when she touched him never went away as sleep took him almost immediately.

For the first time in forever, Cloud slept soundlessly with no nightmares jolting him awake. Instead of blood and fire, he dreamed about green grass and yellow flowers as they swayed gently with the wind underneath the happy blue skies.


	7. Chapter 7

"Eco-project?"

Cloud accepted the handout that Tifa offered to him over the counter of her bar. 7th Heaven bustled with noise over the grumbling middle-aged men who sat with drinks in their hands as they relished every minute of their break from their tireless efforts in manning down their markets. Cloud frowned as he studied the front of the handout, flipped it over briefly to read the contents in the back, and turned it back to the front.

"I feel like they're trying to advertise to twelve-year-old's here. Really?" he flipped the front over so that Tifa could see and tapped a finger on it as er lips tilted upwards from suppressed laughter, "A smiley face on the Planet? And with _teeth_. With smiling trees as hair. This looks ridiculous."

"As ridiculous as it seems, it's from the government."

"You're joking."

"Nope," and Tifa took the handout from his hands to lay it flat on her counter. She pointed to the bottom of the flimsy piece of paper. In all caps, it read "Midgar Restoration Council P.S." The initials were signed in cursive: Post-Shinra. It was the official insignia that represented the new government formed by the people after Shinra's defeat. The Council was not officially recognized yet, but their efforts to transform Midgar, take care of its environment, and improve the slums were promising. However, it was going to take a while before any changes ever took effect—Shinra's devastating damages were not easily reversible.

"So, the first step they're taking is to plant trees." Cloud had a hard time taking it seriously. "And they're asking for volunteers?"

"Can't blame them. It's more of a committee than anything, but it's the best we got in terms of a stable government around here."

"Fair." He read the dates of when the trees would be arriving to each individual sector for planting. For Sector 7, they came tomorrow on a Saturday. He then looked at Tifa, who gave him an expectant look. It was obvious what she was asking for. "So, you want me to plant trees?"

"I think it's a great community event."

"There's going to be no community if no one participates," Cloud deadpanned. "Let's be real here—I don't think anyone around here would give up a day of work just to plant _trees._ " Additionally, the people around here weren't too educated about the "health of the planet" anyway. He wasn't sure how much of a government decree would shift attitudes.

"Not true. I already asked around before I came to you," Tifa informed him as she refilled his glass of water. "It's a weekend, the weather's great, and the idea of a community event actually sounds appealing. Maybe not as much to the people in their 40's and 50's," and Tifa signaled with her eyebrows towards the men who drank joyously in the middle of the day, "But people like you and me and a few kids are interested. I'm sure it would be fun, and we get to make our home beautiful. Plus, you're free, aren't you?"

"Pretty much," Cloud sighed. Never would he ever thought he would be planting trees. The him five years ago wouldn't even consider doing such a useless thing, but time does change people. "Everyone else in on it?"

"You bet. We all freed our schedules up for tomorrow. Even Marlene's joining us, which is great. Haven't seen that kiddo in a while."

"Hey, Tifa! Could you bring over some more chicken wings?" a heavy man bellowed in good spirits as his company clacked their cups together in a cheer. "Didn't know we would run out so quick!"

"Coming right up! Cloud, come by tomorrow?"

"…"

Tifa left him alone for a bit to tend to the demanding customers. The project reminded him of a certain someone; he bet she would be happy over this sort of thing. While slow, progress was getting there to take better care of their Planet. She wouldn't have to shoulder such a responsibility alone anymore.

Cloud took out his phone and eyed it hesitantly as he lightly tossed it in his hand. It was almost a weekend, and they usually didn't communicate during the weekends since he was off duty. He learned that she spent her weekends taking care of all the plants and flowers at her home while visiting the Leaf House, an orphanage that housed the "cutest kids" ever. Biggs stood to testify this opinion since he surprisingly made visits there often. If not her plants or the Leaf House, then she would spend a peaceful day at home with Elmyra as they busied their hands with small things like crafts, cooking, or just normal house chores.

Seeing no harm, he took a picture of the poster before typing his message. _Did you see this? Something you'd be excited to for._ Once he pressed send, he made the motion to put his phone back into his pocket, not expecting a response any time soon. However, he was surprised when he saw a reply already.

_I did. The trees come next week for Sector 5._

And then another message came.

_You surprised me._

Did he? He had to rethink twice about his decision to text her to make sure he didn't do anything unintentionally weird. His pondering ended shortly when she sent him another text.

_It's the first time you texted me outside of work :)_

He then realized that it was, indeed, the first time he ever texted her for reasons outside of bodyguarding. Rather, now that he put more thought into it, it was the first time he ever texted her first for anything, period. The action came naturally to him, and Aerith pointing it out made him slightly embarrassed. Maybe it was because he hadn't seen her for almost three days since the room remodeling. She hadn't called him for any type of bodyguarding, and it was beyond the descriptions of his job to find out the reasons why.

But it was beyond the descriptions of his job to text her on a weekend too. And the more he thought about it, the more he got confused with his own actions. Life never got so complicated for him.

His train of thought got interrupted when she gave him one more text.

_You seem interested. Are you going to plant trees for your sector tomorrow, then?_

Cloud automatically sent a yes. Then, without thinking, he sent another one along with it.

_Do you want to join?_

It was only when the text completely sent when he buried his face into a hand in agony as he shut off his phone and turned it face-down.

"What the fuck are you doing?" he groaned to himself. He'll go plant the trees tomorrow, and while he was at it, he'll go bury himself underneath too. Truly, he felt possessed. By what, he didn't know—he didn't know a lot of things anymore these days.

"Cloud, are you okay?"

His head shot up to address the mildly concerned yet amused raven-haired, who stared at him curiously with her round, ruby eyes. She eyed his phone, quickly catching on that the electronic device had something to do with his frustration. Having no clue what could've troubled him since he barely touched the thing to begin with, Tifa tilted her head at him as she waited for him to say something.

"I'm fine," he replied before sighing. He then tapped the poster with a finger again. "What time will you be out? I'll join you."

"… That's a first."

"It's a damn first for everything."

"What?"

Cloud hadn't meant to say that out loud. "Sorry. First what?"

"First time you ever agreed to do a job for me without putting up some sort of fight. And it's _volunteering_ too. Cloud, you've been okay these days?" Tifa bit her bottom lip before she said her next phrase, "You're kind of… different lately. In a good way." She didn't sound convincing with the last part still sounding like a question. Oblivious, Cloud didn't know what she was talking about.

"What do you mean different?"

Before Tifa could even say how much he seemed a bit softer, a bit friendlier, and a lot more easygoing the past week, his phone vibrated. She nearly jumped from the way he grabbed it so fast and stuffed it into his pocket. It was as if he didn't want to see it.

"Um, you aren't going to check your phone?" And a bit odder too. He seemed more on the edge about something recently, and while Cloud didn't know what was up with himself, Tifa had a clear idea about what—no, _who_ —was behind his change.

"I'll check it later," he curtly said. "And I should be asking you that."

"Hm?"

Tifa could feel her cheeks burn a bit at how Cloud's observing gaze studied her face for a bit. While she sometimes missed his blue eyes back when they were younger, his mako-infused ones had a different effect on her. His sapphire eyes used to be curious and full of mirth, but now, the mako made his gaze more intense and sharper. She swore there was a different pattern to his irises every time she saw them.

"Something the matter?" he asked, snapping her out of her sidetracked thoughts.

"What? You're the one just looking at me."

Cloud shrugged as he rested the side of his face on a hand and a propped elbow. "Well, I was about to say how you've been looking tired recently and was about to suggest you take a breather. But you just kept staring at me while spacing out. Something wrong?"

"N-no," Tifa stammered quickly, "I was just amazed at how… different your eyes were. From back then." She wished she had phrased that differently because she knew she struck a bad chord in him when she made a brief mention to the past. Cloud stiffened immediately before laughing darkly. That was the only type of laughter she ever heard from him—empty and meaningless.

"Still scared?"

"Cloud, of course, no—"

"I'm sorry. That I'm not the same person you're looking for."

An awkward silence pervaded the air between them as Cloud looked away. Tifa didn't know how she did it. Things would be happy for them when they talked to each other, but she always managed to have the ability to turn it all upside-down just like that. All it took was one clap of the hands for Cloud to lose himself from the present to the past—all because of her. "I'm sorry": the only words she ever heard from him. Those two words. It was like a curse now.

"Cloud…" When he didn't look at her, she dropped it. She wanted to tell him that she saw him now for who he was. She wanted to tell him that his eyes weren't scary anymore and that she loved looking at them now and that they were beautiful, but too shy, she kept her mouth shut. She always did; she just didn't know what to say.

No, she knew what to say. She just didn't say it. Because she never questioned him and just remained silent. Because didn't he want it that way?

"Anyways, I'll get going," Cloud muttered as he stood up from the counter. "Just knock on my door when you go out tomorrow."

"Ah…" She clutched the dish rag in her hand as her knuckles turned white. She didn't feel right, letting him go off like this.

Cloud looked at her expectantly as he saw the way she trailed off her sentence. His gaze softened a bit since he could never stay upset at her. After all, she wasn't the target of his dark feelings. "We're going to plant a shit ton of trees tomorrow, right?"

Tifa looked up and was surprised to see him smile a bit at her in assurance. He usually didn't do that. However, the magic worked and she found herself nodding and smiling back at him. "It's going to be early."

"Alright." He gave a single wave as a form of goodbye before he left the bar, leaving Tifa to regret their prior interaction.

When he was outside, he finally had the guts to pull out his phone and see what Aerith said.

_Do you want me to come?_

Cloud really wished she didn't play coy this time around. He knew that _she_ knew how he didn't like these types of questions turned on him. Answering a question with a question—that was just foul play. If she had asked him this in real-life, he would've just shrugged her off and remained quiet—to pretend that he didn't hear her—but that didn't seem to be an option when the words were right there, blatantly tainting his screen as he wondered how he was going to answer it. Did he want her to come?

Yes. He did. But he didn't say it

Instead, he sent something else.

_Do whatever you want._

Instantly, she answered, and he wondered what kind of free time she had back at Sector 5 to afford such fast replies.

_See you tomorrow._

Cloud let out a shaky breath. A month ago, he would've loved to have a weekend—it meant time away from her. But now, a weekend seemed… long. Dealing with her was not good for the mind, the equilibrium of his tranquil state, nor his heart. Put him on a tightrope, and he'll feel the same adrenaline rush when speaking to the odd Cetra now. She was a battle herself, but instead of his sword to slash her, he had to use words. _Words._

The world never seemed so difficult before.

And he left to go kill some monsters out in the field, mysteriously increasing the numbers on the billboard that kept track of all the kills.

~.~.~

The number of people up in the morning just to plant trees astonished Cloud. He didn't think anyone around would give a damn about the environment, but Aerith might be seeing an increase in sales soon with the crowd he saw before him. It might've been the community spirit, for residents were up and ready, thrilled to ramp up the appearance of their home. Of course, some of the older generation weren't present—old ideologies die hard—but the large number of younger people made up for it. Large trucks, who had the Shinra logo painted away with white paint, began to unload the trees for planting. Some authorities ran down the process for the day, and some stayed to help around and _educate._ None of that propaganda trash: real information and facts.

"Cloud? With a shovel? Planting _trees_? Oh, it's worth waking up this early to see _this_ ," Jessie giggled as she approached him and Tifa. "Heya. Biggs is waking up kind of late; Wedge went to fetch him. Barret, I don't know."

"He said he'd be joining later," explained Tifa. "Marlene and him stayed up late last night a bit to watch a movie together, so he wants her to sleep in a bit more before he wakes her up."

"A responsible dad. Who would've thought," Cloud scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest as he imagined the big, gnarly man who always shouted dumb profanities at him as gentle and caring. Tifa knocked him on the shoulder for showing his distaste in the gunman so obviously, but she smiled; they both had a soft spot for each other, surprisingly, whether they wanted to admit to it or not.

As potted, medium-sized trees got loaded off from the trucks, the curiosity in the children's eyes never shined so brightly before. Greenery—a rare sight for those around here. If there was a ranking for which sector was the most barren, Sector 7 would have to take the cake.

"That one's really pretty, Mom!" he heard one child shout out. He followed the boy's finger, landing his eyes on a tree where a lone, bloomed white flower hung on one of its thin branches.

"It is! And you're going to be planting it today," the young mother cooed as she admired all the trees with her son.

After explanations were finished, everyone was left on their own on which tree they wanted to plant, where they wanted to plant it within the designated places, and who they wanted to work with. Once Biggs and Wedge came over, they went with Jessie while Cloud and Tifa took up a tree for themselves. He carried the tree while Tifa carried the two shovels and a bucket of water to soften up the very dry land.

"Ever done this type of work as a merc before?" Tifa winked as she watched him study the tree up-close. He shot her a look, knowing fully well how she knew the answer already; she was the one who plugged him with the jobs after all.

"I've planted faces before into the ground if that's what you mean."

"Obviously not."

"Then don't ask."

She chuckled at his always-grumpy attitude before beginning to work at the dirt with the shovel. Cloud joined her, but his eyes subconsciously kept wandering around, searching for the familiar pink. She wasn't here yet. Then he felt a tap on the shoulder.

"Looking for someone?" the familiar voice cheerfully rang. He turned around to be greeted by Aerith's happy smile. The first thing he noticed was her hair; instead of the usual braid, it was tied up in a high-pony tail in preparation for the grueling large-scale gardening for the day. Some hair framed her face, but he felt weird to see her hair all sleek and straight instead of plaited.

"Aerith! You're here…?" Tifa looked between the two of them in question. "Cloud, I didn't know you had bodyguard duty today?" He hadn't said anything about it, had he?

"Ah, I…don't," he hesitantly answered. It felt odd for him too, to see Aerith on a weekend and outside of his job. Tifa took a second to figure out what he meant then if he wasn't on the clock as Aerith looked at her curiously, wondering what she was confused about. A weak smile splashed on Tifa's face as she said a cordial hello to Aerith.

"Here to help out. Gardening's my thing," said Aerith. "I, uh," she looked at Cloud briefly, noticing how he felt a bit uncomfortable, "saw that the trees were going to come first to Sector 7 and later Sector 5. So, I came!"

Glad that she omitted the detail about his embarrassing invite, Cloud straightened up to fully face her.

"Done this type of thing before?" It was his turn to ask her.

Aerith surveyed all the tools and the size of the trees before shaking her head. "I plant flowers. A bit different. But I'll manage."

Before he could hand her one of the shovels and get to work with her, Jessie popped in, having seen Aerith's arrival. She immediately wrapped an arm over Aerith's shoulders, earning a sound of surprise from the Cetra.

"Well, look who we have here. Came down here to plant trees with us? Come plant one with me!" Jessie jerked her thumb over to Biggs and Wedge, "Three people crowding around one plot of dirt isn't the most productive, and Wedge is, uh, kind of big."

"Uh, su—whoa!" Aerith didn't even get to say another word to Cloud before Jessie unnaturally started to drag her off to get another tree, leaving Cloud and Tifa alone to watch their backs.

"What was that about?" Cloud asked, oblivious to Jessie's sudden actions. Tifa, who had a better clue on what the brunette's intentions were, sighed before she shook her head.

"Don't mind her. So, are you going to just stare or start digging?"

"When Tifa says it, I gotta do it, right?" he rolled his eyes before he grabbed a shovel off the ground and started to dig.

Aerith had a hard time keeping up with Jessie's rather rough pulls on her and breathed a sigh of relief when the girl let her go once they were a good distance away from Cloud and Tifa. Her green eyes darted up to look at her brown ones, innocent curiosity questioning her actions. Jessie simply winked and put a finger to her lips.

"We have to let the lovebirds have their moment," Jessie offered as an explanation. It was more than enough for Aerith to catch on. "We can't third-wheel them."

Aerith forced a smile on her face, finding Jessie's actions a bit too much, but she did a good job at hiding her disagreement in opinion. While she respected any relationship Tifa and Cloud had with each other, she wasn't one to force it like Jessie. And it wasn't just that. Aerith glanced at Tifa and Cloud once more; they didn't seem like what Jessie described them to be. If she had, she would've stopped all her teasing ages ago. Even she knew where to draw the line in those types of situations. However, she didn't spend anymore time thinking about it when she had a lot of gardening to do today.

"Alright. Shall we plant a tree together then?"

Upon Jessie's request, they moved to an area that was, again, quite a distance from Cloud and Tifa. At this point, Aerith already figured that the person Jessie was trying to remove from Cloud was her, but she didn't show any signs of knowing. She didn't want to have any bad blood over something as silly as this, so Aerith humored Jessie with every shenanigan she pulled.

"So, how'd you convince Cloud to get his place fixed up?" Jessie grunted as she started to insert her shovel into the hard ground. Aerith helped by pouring water over it to soften it up. "Everyone's wondering about it. If I didn't know any better, I would've thought that you forced him into it."

"Well, I did, but he agreed to go along with it at the end," Aerith answered. She already didn't like where the conversation was going. She had nothing against Jessie, but ever since the horrible disaster at Wall Market, she felt some sort of uncomfortable air between them. Jessie easily smiled in front of her, but she didn't know how much she actually meant it—who knew when she would pull a quick one on her again, just like last time with the mention of Nibelheim? She tried to change the subject again by mentioning how the trees looked really healthy, but Jessie wouldn't drop it.

"Is Cloud doing a good job as a bodyguard? Seems to me he's been relaxing quite a lot on the job."

"No one hasn't jumped me yet," Aerith answered nervously yet lightheartedly. "No reason to pull the sword out."

"Hm, so why are you here?"

Aerith stopped watering the dirt to look at Jessie. The smile was still on her face.

"Well, it's nice to see everyone around here," Aerith said, completely ignoring the way Jessie suddenly sounded a bit aggressive with that seemingly harmless question. "The Eco-project is, I think, a wonderful idea. My hands couldn't stay still, so I wanted to get in on the action before the trees arrived in Sector 5 next week."

"Glad you could come, then. The more the merrier, right?"

"Right."

When it was Aerith's turn to dig up some of the dirt, she couldn't help but look around to see if they offered any gloves anywhere nearby. The thick wood of the shovel didn't have a grip to it, so the rough wood kept rubbing against her skin painfully. Noticing her paused movement, Jessie quirked an eyebrow.

"What are you looking for?"

"Are there, by chance, any gardening gloves here?" Aerith smiled sheepishly as she showed her raw, red hands. Jessie frowned slightly as she looked at them. Pink, soft, and smooth—like a baby's hands. It was obvious to Jessie that the Cetra girl never experienced any type of hard labor before.

"We don't have those types of things here since, you know, we don't garden."

"Ah, right."

Jessie began to look her up and down, much to Aerith's discomfort and wonder. The ends of her shin-length dress stained brown from being dragged across the dirt every time Aerith bent down. Her usual necklace hung around her neck while her green earrings glistened their radiance underneath the sun. The pink ribbon that kept her hair in a ponytail fluttered as it danced up and down with every bob of her head.

"So, do you usually work in those types of clothes?" Jessie couldn't help but comment on her odd choice of fashion for a day of work. Compared to Aerith, she was clad in a silver chest plate, dirtied pants, and military boots—the complete opposite.

"Oh," Aerith felt embarrassed at the sudden attention to her clothes. She looked down at herself before weakly smiling. "Well, yes. They're the only type of clothes I have."

"… I see. Well, I'm sorry about your hands. Here, I'll just do the digging and you can just—"

"Oh, no, it's fine. Thanks. I'll deal with it somehow," Aerith assured before she grabbed onto the shovel once more and continued her digging and hauling.

The two didn't converse anymore than a few "over there" and "put that over here" as they managed to dig a hole big enough to place the roots of the tree in and cover with the given fertilizer. Tilting her head up to look at the tall beauty once finished, Aerith admired the tree and her work. Finally, the government was doing something right for once. Soon, she could see it—the revival of life in the slums.

"All this time and you managed to plant only _one_?"

Aerith turned around and nearly had her heart leap out from her chest from Cloud's sudden appearance. Jessie's attempt to keep them apart faltered a bit. He looked at their tree before he shook his head in mock disappointment. "Would've thought you'd be faster since you're, I don't know, experienced."

"I plant flowers, you jerk," Aerith retorted as she moved to the side so that she wouldn't have to fully see the look Jessie gave her as she patted the ground with some finishing touches. "I work with a hand shovel and softer patches of dirt. And _seeds_."

"Sounds like excuses, but alright."

Aerith peeked behind his shoulder and was surprised to see how Tifa and him had already finished planting two trees. Taking a break, Tifa went around to have small chit-chat with the other civilians while Cloud went over to Aerith to pay her a visit. The two didn't even seem tired underneath the heat of the sun; they didn't look tough and strong just for show.

"Is something wrong with your hands?" Cloud suddenly asked, noticing how she kept rubbing them to make them feel a bit better. She stopped when he asked and naturally clasped them behind her back to hide it before shaking her head.

"Just a bit roughened up since I've never used a shovel before, but it's fine."

The two of them blinked at each other before they looked away. Awkward didn't spell enough, even for Aerith. While she was brazening with her actions towards Cloud, seeing him all affected by it made her feel conscious about her behavior as well. She had been too busy taking care of Elmyra, who was unfortunate enough to catch a summer flu, to leave Sector 5. She didn't explain her absence for any of the days she didn't see him, but she found no need to. After all, she didn't want to interrupt any peace he had from his unexpected vacation; she figured he would've appreciated some space from her after she invaded it so much (even though it was all for his sake). So, his text yesterday was the last thing she expected, and it made her wonder what kind of thoughts he had to go through just to even send her a message. He made simple things become complicated—that was just who he was. She found it funny, yet difficult at times.

But it was okay. She liked that part about him. It was cute.

"Since you're complaining about our work, come and show us how it's done," Jessie scowled at him jokingly as she came up and shook Cloud by the arm _._ "Let's put these lanky muscles of yours to use."

" _Lanky?_ " Cloud spluttered. He felt a bit offended at her disparaging comment before Jessie dragged him to go get another tree with her, leaving Aerith to eat the dust. Jessie wasn't giving up on her attempts to separate her from Cloud, and it became obvious to Aerith that she didn't like any of her interactions with him. Sighing yet understanding of Jessie's biased actions for the sake of her dear friend, Aerith pardoned her once more as she went to seek out other company.

"Aerith, hey!" Biggs warmly greeted her. Wedge looked up from carrying the tree that was now out of the pot and ready to be planted, roots hanging as moist, black dirt from the pot rained down occasionally. She happily waved at the two of them as she half-jogged up to them.

"Seems like you're having fun," she grinned as Biggs poured the fertilizer where Wedge placed the plant.

"Yeah, seems like the usual labor, but feels different. Maybe because we're dealing with actual plant life for the first time," he grunted as he tilted the heavy bag up until enough fertilizer was poured. Wedge wiped the sweat from his forehead as he gave her a thumbs up.

"I see the beauty you're always trying to advertise," Wedge quirkily yipped. Aerith happily clapped her hands together in joy. Cloud was right; there _were_ people who tried to understand.

"Let me help you with the second one," she offered, but Biggs shook his head.

"We're manned here. Why don't you go over and help Tifa?" He jerked a thumb back over to Cloud and Jessie, who weren't faring so well as they engaged in their usual banter. "Cloud seems occupied with her ass right now. Tifa's working alone, see there?" and Aerith turned to see what he was talking about. Tifa was indeed abandoned by Cloud, not that she minded. Feeling guilty that it was her fault she was left like that, Aerith nodded to Biggs before making her way over to the raven-haired.

"Aerith, welcome back. Did Jessie give you a hard time?" Tifa welcomed once again as she kicked down on the shovel to get it into the barren dirt. Aerith admired Tifa's strong yet feminine form as she easily dug up the ground and threw it over to the side. She wiped the sweat off the side of her head with the back of her arm before smiling at Aerith. "She's a bit of a brute. Hope you don't mind her questionable actions sometimes."

"Oh, no, of course. I get it." She got it in many ways. "Let me help!"

"Sure thing."

Together, the two females worked together, and Aerith felt a lot more comfortable with Tifa than Jessie herself. Tifa's gentle and kind nature was comforting too, especially when Aerith could feel some of it with her sixth sense.

"How've you been?" Tifa asked as they took a bit of a breather. "Haven't seen you around. No, let me correct that: I haven't seen Cloud move out of Sector 7. He's been lazing around my bar all day!"

"Really?" Aerith laughed, already able to imagine it. A swordsman like him probably couldn't stand around doing nothing, so here he was, volunteering to help plant trees. "I was taking care of my mom back home. Summer flu. Didn't know those still existed."

"Aw, she better?"

"Yup. That's why I'm here."

"Bet Cloud's surprised to see his employer on a weekend outside of work. Now he _has_ to act good in front of you," Tifa chuckled, clueless about how it was Cloud himself that invited her here.

"I wish he would treat me like his actual employer," Aerith rolled her eyes, "His mouth spits fire constantly; it's a surprise that he still has friends like you, Tifa."

"We're all used to it," Tifa explained before she let out a long sigh. "He never used to be like that, but. Guess that's just who he is now."

"What do you mean?"

Tifa seemed to realize how she let her nostalgia slip out. She was a bit hesitant to give an explanation, but she did anyway. "Cloud and I used to live in the same hometown before." Aerith knew she was referring to Nibelheim, but she made no indications of knowing. "Something happened so we got split. I didn't see him for four years. I actually didn't get to meet him again until five years ago, when he suddenly came into Sector 7, but I barely recognized him. He wasn't the kid I knew back then, and his eyes…"

"Ah…"

"But whatever, it's all in the past," Tifa waved off the foreboding somberness to her story as she cracked a smile. "We all love his unnecessary comments. Makes things a little spicier. A bit too spicy with Jessie and Barret, but they all get along by the end of the day."

"He met the right people," said Aerith. "To see past his hard attitude."

"Speak for yourself, Aerith," Tifa replied, and another small sigh fled her mouth. "I think he changed a bit. After meeting you."

Aerith furrowed her eyebrows as she carefully picked up her words. She asked, "How so?"

"Everyone sees him as someone hard and cold. He would never let anyone in, but it seems like you've breached his walls and changed him for the better," Tifa nodded, sure in her words. "He doesn't let anyone in on his past, but it seems like he's comfortable with you. I'm glad he was able to meet you."

Aerith had to reel back at two different speeds as she dissected Tifa's words to understand what she was talking about. Her mind had to go back in time to check whether or not she ever learned of Cloud's past. No. She didn't.

"Tifa, I think you're jumping the gun here," Aerith laughed nervously. To busy her hands so that they wouldn't be fumbling everywhere as she spoke, she watered more of the hole Tifa dug up. "I don't think I changed him at all. I'm not some goddess out here trying to change people's personalities."

It was Tifa's turn to ask the questions. "What do you mean?"

"He never opened himself up to me," Aerith quietly admitted. "I don't know a single thing about his past." This was a little inaccurate, but it was a harmless white lie. Knowing the homeplace of someone was barely a fact of a deep and dark past. "Sure, maybe I am getting along better with him than most people but…"

Aerith didn't know if she had the right to say what she thought of next. She didn't know anything about Tifa, nor Jessie, nor Biggs and Wedge and Barret, who knew him for at least five years while she only one month, but it was clear to her eyes how they all approached the blond. Maybe Tifa was different, but now, as she stood there before Aerith's eyes, that didn't seem so true anymore. Taking a deep breath, she said her words.

"Don't you think his doors never opened for anybody because no one ever tried to open them?"

Tifa's reaction was one that she fully expected. Widened, red eyes stared at her as she took the time to process Aerith's words. Many thoughts went through the raven-haired's mind. What was this Cetra talking about? For the past five years, she had been by Cloud's side, always trying to make him better after so many of those horrible headaches that plagued his nights and even some days. Wasn't she there to finally help him find a home after he returned after such terrible battles he had to participate in for nearly four years? She was the only one to welcome him with wide, open ar—

_Cloud, those eyes. You're… scary now._

The train of thought instantly halted, and Tifa had to think twice about all those questions she just posed to herself. Aerith gazed at her in sympathy as Tifa's eyebrows knitted with deep thought and consideration.

"It's not too late. His doors are always unlocked. You just have to speak up, hm?" And Aerith gave her a wide, sympathetic smile of encouragement. "He's the same Cloud Strife you know. Or, that's how I feel." Then, Aerith nodded to herself. _Yes, he is Cloud Strife. No one else._

"Aerith…"

"You guys sure have been on a _long_ break."

The two women whipped their eyes over to land on Cloud, Biggs, Wedge, Jessie, and the newly-arrived Barret with his daughter on his shoulder. Cloud looked unamused, having noticed their lengthy, private talk. "Do you guys even deserve lunch?"

"What are you going to do about it, just take it?" Aerith quipped, tone changed to her playful one. "Hi, Barret. Oh, you must be the Marlene I've been hearing all about!" Barret placed Marlene onto the ground so that she could say hi to the Cetra. Marlene instantly tried to hide behind her dad's back and away from the stranger, but he encouraged her.

"She's a nice flower lady, Marlene."

"I'm sorry for meeting you empty handed, but I won't be next time," Aerith smiled at the little girl as she reached out a hand for her to shake. Marlene looked at it apprehensively before her little hand gently grasped onto Aerith's and shook it. "Such a cute girl."

"Looks like everyone's here. Let's get some lunch, _please._ A girl's starving here!" Jessie groaned dramatically. "Digging stuff up is actually more strenuous on these arm muscles than I thought!"

"Oh, shut up, you barely dug anything," Cloud scowled. After he switched places with Aerith, it was all just a one-man job for him as Jessie merely sat back to watch his muscle form work. She called it "a show," which didn't make his mood any better.

After everyone ate a quick lunch outside and finished up for the day, night had already fallen. The sun's last rays faded off into the distance in its pink and orange hues before the brightness of the white moon shined above the plate. There were a few trees left to plant, but that was what the weekend was for.

"Cheers to making our home not look like a dessert!" Barret nearly shouted as he held up his cup of juice. Everyone else held up their cups of juice too before downing half of it in one go. Everyone opted out on the alcohol today since they've been having a little bit too much of it lately, and so, Aerith was able to join the cheers with everyone this time. While they drank their juice, 7th Heaven was busy like always with its noise; it was noisier today though as people sought the bar to celebrate one of their first events as a community.

Cloud drank his orange juice as he stood by the counter with an elbow leaned on it, feeling like a kid as he consumed the juice in a bar. He wasn't a big fan of alcohol anyway; he only drank it for occasions to appease his alcohol-loving friends.

"Really? Thomas did that? He seems like such a good kid though!" he heard Aerith jingle as she conversed with Biggs by the side. "I don't believe you."

"It seems like you haven't visited him enough times at the Leaf House then. He's a trouble child when he gets all petty. Still a good kid, but his ways of getting attention are odd," Biggs chuckled. Cloud couldn't help but overhear their conversation—he hadn't expected Aerith to be able to hold a one-on-one conversation with Biggs since they never really interacted before. They must've found something in common to converse about.

Wait, why was he even listening in on them in the first place?

Even though he was the one who invited her to come and plant trees with them, he barely exchanged any words with her. It was as if some sort of invisible force kept pulling them apart every time they stood in front of each other. At first, he thought they were mere coincidences, but when he found himself getting dragged somewhere by either his friends or the residents who asked him for help every single time he tried to strike a conversation with her, he knew someone was playing him like a deck of cards out there. At this point, he was just trying to win over fate rather than actually trying to talk to her anymore.

He finally seemed to win after a long battle with it today when Aerith finished her conversation with Biggs and moved her eyes instantly onto his face. It was as if she was already searching for him as she flashed him a smile that made his juice suddenly taste like alcohol as it burned down his throat. The noisy spirits of the bar suddenly became muffled in his ears as he watched her take airy steps towards him. He subconsciously held his glass tighter in his hands and only relaxed his grip when she was there, finally standing in front of him for more than ten seconds.

"Hi," she chirped.

"Hey." If he had spoken another word after that, his voice would've cracked. His throat seemed to get all knotted all of a sudden, and he took another sip of juice to quell the irritation.

"What's gotten you all jumpy?" Aerith laughed, noticing the way he suddenly seemed jittery around her. "Too much shoveling? Itching to go do some more?"

"Haha, real funny," replied Cloud sarcastically. "I'm not as thick-skinned as you."

" _Pfft_ , what?"

He reached down to grab one of her hands, flipping it upright so that it could be seen under the light. Angry red, skin-peeled, and hot. Aerith took her hand away when she realized what he was doing.

"You could've just asked someone for gloves. Or avoided the shoveling altogether."

"I didn't want to cause trouble," Aerith said, the small smile never leaving her face. "Everyone was working hard. And some girl is complaining about scratched-up hands from handling something as simple as a shovel. That's a huge party-pooper."

"I'm not even going to argue with you. Something you'd totally do even if someone told you not to," Cloud sighed, already knowing about Aerith's stubbornness. It took all his energy to just try to change her mind about something. "Going home soon?"

"Mhm, probably. The day's done and I'm feeling awfully tired," she held up her arms, "And these things aren't meant to do such heavy work, unfortunately. I'm probably going to wake up all sore tomorrow!"

Cloud nodded, not sure on what else to say. She was going home soon when they, again, barely even spoke. It felt off, as if something was itching in his chest. After being intimate in his room just a few days ago and just more alone in general, standing in the bar with a bunch of other people felt weird—out of place. Their conversation was too casual. Almost impersonal. Not like the usual. He usually didn't mind simple chit-chat, but he oddly wanted more from her; it felt too soon for her to go.

It must've shown on his face because Aerith suddenly got close to him by the counter. He suddenly grew wary of the people around him. They were all engaged in their own conversation. No one batted an eyelash at them.

"You look kind of conflicted over something," she half-whispered to him. It was amazing how he could still hear her above all the voices. "Don't want me to go?"

"… Didn't say that."

"But you don't need to say it," she breathed, "because your eyes already said it for you," and Cloud nearly choked on thin air when he felt her lace her fingers with his from underneath the counter, hidden behind their bodies. His hand instantly burned through his glove as the same heat he experienced before traveled up his arm and spread to his neck and ears. He stared at her as if she just grew an additional head, lips slightly parted in surprise.

"What do you mean?" he asked, almost forgetting what she said.

"Your eyes followed me _everywhere_ today," she said, catching him red-handed. "Think I didn't notice?"

"I—" he looked away from her, feeling embarrassed. Had he really looked at her all day? He didn't notice himself. His mind racked for a dumb excuse, but it wasn't working when only twenty-five percent of his brain was working while the other seventy-five was too preoccupied with the furnace burning at his hand. Looking at her made him lose another ten percent as those eyes searched for an answer because apparently his eyes managed to do all the talking instead of his mouth. Words. They were too difficult.

"You're really touchy," he instead repeated again from before. But, unlike last time where he was as responsive as an unplugged robot, he felt himself slowly hold her hand back, the secrecy of it sparking a strange excitement deep within his core. He looked everywhere except her eyes, partly because he didn't want her to see the light flush on his face and also because he was cautious about who could be watching. "Is this also another one of your hobbies?"

"What is?"

"Fraternizing with your bodyguard like this."

She laughed loudly at his words, but it got drowned out by all the surrounding noise. He raised a brow at her; he swore he wasn't trying to be funny.

"Of course not. Since you're my first one."

"Then why?"

"Step four," she teased, and he rolled his eyes, wondering what new step in the regiment he was in for this time, "Don't ask questions you already know the answer to. Or else it just clogs up the mind."

Before he could correct her that he had many questions about her strange and mysterious nature which he painstakingly didn't know the answers to and wish he did, Barret's bellowing shocked both of them into letting each other go.

"You two! Quit sitting like ducks and join us!" Barret roared from one of the tables. Everyone was suddenly gathered into one area. "What are you two doing over there?"

"Nothing!" Aerith answered back from across the room before she looked back at Cloud with a twinkle in her eye. "Shall we join them?"

"What happened to going home?"

"I lied," and she stuck out her tongue in victory at him before she skipped over to everyone at the table, leaving Cloud to stare at her, stunned.

Once again, the heat that she left on him never faded away for the rest of the night as their eyes continued to fleetingly glance at each other in a dance that never stopped whirling out of his control. Another day of her came another set of questions.

He wondered if he could ever complete step four at this rate.

Too absorbed in his own thoughts, he didn't notice the holes that Jessie kept boring into him while Tifa gave him her own glances. None of the other males noticed the rectangle of secret looks amongst Cloud and the women as they drank their juice heartily and without a care.

"To Sector 7!"


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Always loving your comments! Great that a lot of people are enjoying it. Here's chapter 8!

~Nine years ago~

_He looked up, not knowing where he sat as he felt the rough dirt underneath him. He inhaled some dust, but no instinctive move was made to get rid of the irritation. Nothing went through his empty mind except for one thought. As his newly mako eyes stared blankly at the sky, he wondered whether it always looked like this. It looked weird. Different._

_And then all he heard were gun shots. But he just sat there. Behind the rocks. Hidden from sight. Wasn't there someone with him? He forgot. He didn't know. The sky looked very weird. He wondered if they always looked like that._

_Time passed, and the sky still looked the same. But his body suddenly started to move on its own, towards the now silent area where gun shots previously fired like meteor showers. His heels dragged across the dirt as he robotically made his way towards something—someone—lying on the ground. Was he looking at the sky too?_

_"Cloud… you're moving. Haha, that's—" he entered a wild coughing fit, spitting out some blood in the process, "—that's great."_

_Cloud? Who was that? Oh. Right. That was him. Cloud. Cloud Strife. What was he doing here? He looked around, unfazed by the man who had numerous bullets embedded him before his knees. Where was Nibelheim? This wasn't Nibelheim._

_"… Zack." That name left his mouth unintentionally. He looked at the man's face, wondering if that was his name._

_"Yeah, yeah, that's me. I'm—" another coughing fit, "—I'm Zack. That's right. You're recovering quicker than I thought, eh? You're tougher than you look, heh. In a week or two, you'll probably be okay."_

_Cloud blinked in confusion as the man named Zack struggled to lift a hand up just to pat him on the head. Warm liquid suddenly ran down the side of his face—he recognized it as blood. This man: he was hurt. And then it occurred to him._

_"Zack… are you going?"_

_The SOLDIER winced as he tried to laugh, arm falling back onto the ground. He slowly shook his head, but his smile never left. "Cloud. I'm not going to make it. You… need to get out of here. Before they do another search. My comrades, they're still out there—fighting. Find them, they'll—" cough, "—they'll help you out."_

_Cloud flinched when he felt something cold and prickly on his back. He looked up to see what it was. Then, it started to hit him all at once, drenching his clothes. It was rain. When he looked back down to Zack, it punched him._

_Emotions._

_Zack's hand searched blindly at the ground until it closed around the hilt of his Buster Sword. With all of the strength left in him, he held it out to Cloud, who automatically held out his hands for it._

_"My honor… my dreams," Zack let go of the hilt, letting his hand fall back to his side, "They're yours now. You're going to be alright… go. Go to the others." Zack paused, catching his last breaths. Then, he said his last words. "Oh, and do you mind… saying hi to her for me? And that… I got her eighty-ninth letter. That'd be great."_

_"…"_

_Zack's eyes closed. Cloud wondered when they would open again so that they could talk some more._

_More time passed as Cloud absentmindedly held the Buster in his hands and waited. The rain started to disappear, and the sun's rays returned, just like before. When Zack didn't move anymore, Cloud started to get confused._

_When one of the sun's rays peeked behind the dark clouds and hit his face, it finally snapped. The dams broke, and all of his memories of the fallen SOLDIER started to rush in, overloading his mind as he stared wide-eyed at the sky. One of the greatest SOLDIERs anyone has seen who could've lived but couldn't—because of him. His scream echoed across the canyon as his tears trickled down his cheeks._

_"Zack, no, no," Cloud dropped the sword and clasped at Zack's shirt. Maybe that would wake him up. "Zack, you can't go. Don't leave," he sobbed. He couldn't just leave like this, right? He didn't even tell him who "she" was._

_Cloud didn't know how long he sat there, letting all of his past memories slowly return to his poorly disrupted mind like coins in a slot machine. When he knew Zack wasn't going to open his eyes anymore, he knew he couldn't just stay here anymore. Gripping the hilt of the Buster Sword more tightly, Cloud heaved himself up and began to walk. Where, he didn't know. He needed to keep going, for him and for Zack._

_As the blade of the Buster dragged behind his footsteps, feelings of vengeance sprouted inside him. Shinra—his new enemy. Their demise: he'll see it through. He swore on it. And he'll deliver Zack's message to this girl with a face and name he didn't know. Some way and somehow. He'll make sure of it._

~.~.~

Aerith let out a groan as she sat up from bed, stretched her arms up above her head, and smiled at the sunshine that penetrated through the window and lit up her entire room. The potted plants that stood by her window sill happily basked in the morning light: fresh, green, and healthy. She swung her legs off her bed and stood up, making her way over to the bathroom so that she could freshen up. Once she brushed her teeth, washed her face, and put on some of her daily moisturizer, she began to braid her luscious, brown locks. When she made the first plait though, she thought about it for a second before unraveling it.

"Maybe he'll like my hair down," Aerith muttered to herself as she checked herself in the mirror. She twisted her trunk so that she could have a view of her hair cascading down her back before smiling to herself. "Perhaps." And she ditched the pink ribbon by placing it on her table next to her photo-less picture frame. Changing out of her pajamas to put on her regular light pink dress with red jacket, Aerith checked herself out one more time in the full-length mirror in her room before giving it a check.

"Good morning, Aerith," Elmyra greeted as she cooked the both of them breakfast. "The usual today?"

"Yup! Probably Sector 7 again today."

"You've been going there a lot lately. Are the people there nice?"

"… yup. They're friendly. And welcoming." It was a lie with how her flowers were barely selling and how she was already beginning to make some bad blood within Cloud's group of friends, but she omitted those details from Elmyra to not make her worry.

"It seems like you've been going there for a different reason, though. Not just to sell your flowers."

"Hm? Have I?" Aerith couldn't see Elmyra's expression since her back was turned towards her as she cooked. Elmyra plated the eggs before pouring in another uncooked batch in the pan.

"You didn't notice yourself?" the older woman chuckled. "Don't tell me it's to see your bodyguard."

"I see him every time I go out anyway," Aerith said as she sat by the dining table. "It's not like I have a choice."

"You know that's not what I meant," said Elmyra knowingly, and Aerith didn't need to see her expression this time to know what she was thinking. "Getting attached to him? I'd advise against it."

"He's just fun to be around," Aerith said to reflect the suspicious thoughts Elmyra had. "Interesting person. Like an onion—many layers to him."

"He's a man with a past. Best not to get involved with people like him." When Aerith didn't say anything back, Elmyra continued. "Those mako eyes already spell a deep and dark history. Keep your distance, Aerith, or else you'll be mixed in with the trouble. Maybe I should've hired someone else if I knew you were going to get close to him."

"He's not a bad person," Aerith assured. However, she didn't like how Elmyra based his person off just by his eyes, but she didn't voice it. "… and it's not like."

"So, you're not serious?"

"… no, I'm not."

"Good. Do you want black pepper on your eggs?"

"Nope! It's good without. Thanks, Mom."

Once done with her breakfast, Aerith kissed her mom's cheeks goodbye and proceeded to head her way down to Sector 7. Before she completely left the house, Elmyra had one more thing to say.

"Aerith, haven't you thought about settling down?"

"… What do you mean?"

Elmyra sighed as she washed the last dish and dried her hands on the towel that hung on the oven handle. She then approached her sweet daughter, whose sharp green eyes questioned her. Putting a hand on her shoulder, she rubbed it affectionately before saying the words Aerith didn't want to hear.

"You're twenty-four now, and I'm getting old. You're at the prime age to… marry someone."

"Mom," Aerith cut in. She didn't want to sound rude, but she wasn't in the mood to talk about this again. "Times are changing—I don't _need_ to marry. There's no rush, so don't worry, Mom. The moment I find someone I love, I'll introduce you to him. Don't worry, I won't keep him a secret, and I'll let you know ASAP!" She offered a smile, which was not returned by Elmyra. She only received a worried stare.

"You sure?"

"Of course!"

"Bring back a respectable man, then."

Aerith gave her a thumbs up before she excused herself. However, the moment she shut the door to the front of the house, she sighed and leaned her back against it. She wondered when Elmyra would ever lay off her case about marriage before she picked out the flowers for today's sale.

Her travel to Sector 7 was just a simple train ride and a walk along the paths before she entered the civilian area. On a good day, there would be no monsters blocking her way, but most of the time, there would be a few lurking around—nothing she couldn't wipe out for some exercise. Today, she didn't expect to walk in on Cloud and his gang during patrol. For the first time ever, she saw him in action as he worked together with his friends to kill all the monsters.

"Heads up, Handsome Boy!" Jessie screamed as she threw a bomb towards Cloud's direction at a tiny cluster of monsters. He swiftly dodged it as he rolled away from the explosion that instantly killed everything within its range. When he stood back up, the scowl on his face was evident.

"Would it _kill_ to not throw those bombs of yours while I'm in your line of sight?" He yelled as he fended off a Sweeper. He slashed his sword at its back before he ran away before it could launch its annoying missiles. In his peripheral vision, he saw a Monodrive creep up from behind Tifa, who was too busy being preoccupied with another monster. Before it could launch a surprise attack on her, he swung his sword and threw it, making its mark and instantly killing its target. Tifa looked at him in surprise before she looked at his sword.

"Thanks!"

"Back me up, Biggs, let's wipe out this Sweeper."

Bigg cocked his gun from afar and gave him the thumbs up. "Gotcha, buddy." Cloud ran to Tifa's side to get his sword that lodged itself into some wooden fence. Pulling it out, he immediately zoned in onto the Sweeper that managed to follow him, and with Biggs' help, was able to kill the engine. Before it could explode, Cloud quickly grabbed Tifa by the hand to get her out of the area.

"Boom!" Jessie cackled as their last enemy blew into bits. "I love me some explosions!"

"You alright?" Cloud said to Tifa as he caught his breath. He attached his sword back on his back. "C'mon, I would've thought you would be more aware of your surroundings. What's up?" It was unusual for Tifa to leave her back open so easily. "Something on your mind this morning?"

"Probably just a lack of sleep," Tifa answered. A yawn followed right after to prove her point. "Good job today. Thanks for helping us out. Definitely puts a lot less pressure on us. Barret had to take care of Marlene today since she woke up with a fever."

"Understandable. I can help out whenever I have time. Haven't really used my sword for anything as of late, so patrol is the only time I can."

Tifa nodded. "We'll let you know."

"Woo! Having Cloud on the hunts _really_ makes a difference. I almost forgot how you worked the way of the sword there, buddy," Jessie approached them with Biggs by her side. "Want to put it in your weekly schedule to help us out more often?"

"If you're the one asking, then no."

The group laughed, including Jessie, at his typical love-hate banter with her. By the side, Aerith had to shake herself out of her stupor. Cloud was naturally a handsome man, but something about the way he wielded the Buster Sword while in action gave off a whole different feeling. She was so used to him just standing by the side while she sold her flowers, looking bored and unentertained; it made her forget that the man before her was not just a simple bodyguard. No, the tremendous skill he harnessed was gained through experiences unknown to her—he wasn't just some typical swordsman.

Who was Cloud Strife?

Aerith decided to greet the group with a healing spell, instantly ridding them of their exhaustion. All of their attention shot over to her as she skipped over to them with flower basket in hand.

"That was cool, guys! You guys make a pretty darn good team," she complimented with a thumbs up.

"Hey," Cloud said, being the first to greet her. His heart skipped to see her; she had stopped texting him whenever she visited Sector 7, so he never knew whether or not she would come and when if she did. Everyone else gave her a wave.

"It's because you haven't seen Barret and Cloud fighting together yet," Biggs informed her as he placed his hands on his hips. "He's not here today, so you'll just have to settle with the Cloud-Jessie pair."

"We work together _fine_ ," Jessie giggled, earning a glare from Cloud.

"Just blow my head off next time, why don't you?"

"Selling more flowers today?" Tifa asked.

Aerith nodded. "Yup. Hopefully sales will go well today too."

"Relaxing occupation," Jessie nodded, eyeing her flower basket. "Hope you're able to sell them."

The group made their way back to civilian area. Biggs went to help out his family's shop while Jessie went to practice for an upcoming play for the sector. Tifa excused herself from Cloud and Aerith to go manage her bar. Before she left, however, she looked a bit uneasy, earning Cloud's attention.

"Something the matter?" he asked, worried for her. She had been a bit off lately for reason unknown, and there was never a time where he could ask her what was on her mind. He looked at Aerith, silently apologizing to her as he took Tifa to the side so that their conversation could be a bit more private. Aerith shooed him away with a hand and went on her own to sell her flowers so that the two could have a talk.

"It's nothing," Tifa assured, but Cloud knew all of her bad habits and tidbits enough to know when she was lying. "I just probably woke up on the wrong side of bed this morning."

"I must've met you just yesterday too then," he shot back sarcastically. "Do you want to rest today? I can help you out with the bar. Well, I mean," he looked over at Aerith, who finally managed to get a few people to take an interest in her flowers after so many visits, "Aerith would understand if I took a day off and—"

"I just miss you."

The both of them didn't expect those words to tumble out her mouth. Tifa blinked once when she realized what she said before she shook her head. "No, that's not what I meant." And she quickly tried to turn around and escape, but Cloud reached out to grab her hand before she could go anywhere.

"I've always been here?" said Cloud, completely oblivious to her feelings. Then he thought about how much time bodyguarding took away from him; he _had_ been missing out more on group lunches and dinners. Maybe that's why. "I'll call it earlier today, so that we can have dinner at the bar together with everyone." No matter what he said, Tifa's expression didn't change. It made him wonder if he was saying the wrong things.

"When did you ever worry so much?" Tifa laughed a little bit as she pushed him by the shoulder with her other hand. "You're not one to say so much, geez." He never sounded so caring and observant before, but maybe it was because she, indeed, never spoke up. Just like Aerith had said. And now that she did just a little bit, the results were profound. "Enough about me. Come join us for dinner if you have the time then. Don't keep Aerith… waiting." Before he could say anything to somehow question her again, Tifa slipped out of his grasp and went on her way towards 7th Heaven. He stared at her disappearing back in wonderment before he sighed and returned back to his job. When he turned around to cast his eyes back on Aerith, he didn't expect her to just pop right in front of his face.

"What?" he asked, pulling at the collar of his shirt. Those eyes killed him in more ways than one. He backed away from her when her face inched closer in curiosity. Looking away, repeated, "What?"

Aerith let out a small hum as she inspected his face. Once she was done, she smiled and backed away from him. "Nothing. Just checking to make sure you were okay. Anyway, don't you notice something different about me?" She did one twirl around for him to see. Her hair whirled around her body, nearly whipping him by the arm. "Considering it's you, you wouldn't even notice anything different for anything except for the battle field, hm?"

"Who do you take me for? I've seen you enough to notice the small details about you," Cloud rolled his eyes, not amused by her offensive comment about his supposed lack of awareness. Aerith's chest fluttered a little bit; what he said wasn't supposed to be romantic since there wasn't a single romantic cell in his body, but it still moved her the same anyway. "This isn't even small. Tired of braids?"

"I wanted a compliment, not a question," she jokingly pouted. "But good enough." She thought about what she wanted to mention, thought about it for a second, then went through with it. "I'm at an age to marry. It's time to get rid of the goody-girl look?"

" _Marry?_ " He wasn't expecting that one, so he didn't hide the surprise on his face. "How old are you again?"

"Twenty-four."

" _What?_ " Cloud had the same reaction as Jessie as he tried to match her facial features with the number she just gave him. Aerith grew suspicious about his surprise as a light frown appeared at her forehead.

"… How old did you think I was?"

"I thought I was bodyguarding some sort of teenager. Like nineteen?" That was not true. It was true that he thought she would be a bit younger than him, but it was not true how he thought of her as a teenager. She was a full-fledged woman. When his eyes subconsciously raked down her body, he never felt closer to the truth.

Not knowing his thoughts at all, Aerith took offense at the way he said it. She normally would've taken it as a compliment—who wouldn't want to look young?—but he made it sound like he was watching over a kid. She narrowed her eyes at him and poked a finger at his chest.

"I'm older than you, aren't I?"

"… Yeah."

"By?"

"A year." He looked uncomfortable. It was as if the acquired knowledge of her age changed something between them. Finding an opportunity for more fun, Aerith's frown melted into a sultry smile.

"Bothered? Don't like older women?"

"No, it's more like I'm surprised by how you don't act your age," he answered, completely avoiding her second question. "I think you might have to grow a few more mental years before you think about marriage."

"Please tell Elmyra that," Aerith sighed.

"… Got a reason why you're delaying, uh, marriage?" Her sudden brooding of the topic made Cloud a tiny bit concerned—and dare he say it, _curious—_ about what kind of troubles ailed her, but every single piece of worry he potentially could've grown for her got instantly scrapped when Aerith giggled and hooked her arm intimately with his like she always did.

"Cloud, won't you take me away so that I can run away from these societal obligations?" She dodged the question, just like how he dodged hers.

"Sounds like a personal problem to me," Cloud replied straightforwardly. He firmly, yet gently, slipped his arm out of her grasp. It was a small move, but it made all the difference. Aerith blinked at him. He usually never pulled away like that and always let her have her way with him, albeit with some resistance. And underneath the counter of Tifa's bar a few days ago…

She tried it again, and this time, he made it obvious by side-stepping to dodge her advancements. Aerith would be lying if that didn't cause a painful little twinge in her chest.

"Why are you suddenly avoiding me?" Aerith mused. She asked, but she didn't expect an answer. Before he could say anything, she flashed him a pretty smile before she signaled towards the flower basket in her hands and made her way back to the center to sell her flowers.

Cloud bit the inside of his cheek as the heat on his arm lingered where she touched. He wanted to tell her that he wasn't avoiding her, but that meant admitting to the flame that she spread every time her slender fingers touched his ever-burning skin. From her eyes to her hands to her _body_ , they scorched a path into his blood, where the delicious poison taunted him to seek more of that exhilarating feeling she gave him countless of times with her dainty hands. He didn't know when he grew to become so affected by her daring touches, but ever since his room remodeling and the eco-project, he couldn't look at her the same without feeling some sort of unextinguishable fire.

"Ugh," he groaned, pinching his arm _hard_ to get his thoughts out of the gutter. He needed to stop. To focus on his bodyguard job. Because that was why he was here, standing as he watched her elegant form seemingly dance as she happily sold not only her flowers, but bought everyone's heart who laid eyes on her good-natured spirit. He was here for the job. That was it. He was here to receive her help about his cursed headaches. Nothing else.

Cloud Strife was here as a mercenary-hired bodyguard, and Aerith Gainsborough was a half-Cetra whose mother was his employer. That was the line—the line they crossed too many times already. _Enough._

Jessie, who was on her way to get one of her dresses fitted, stumbled upon their little interaction for a bit before frowning. She saw Cloud's dazed gaze at the Cetra and didn't like the way he looked. She didn't want to be a busybody in any of their business, but she couldn't stop thinking about the uneasy expressions Tifa had adorned on her beautiful face for the past week or two. Her attention turned towards Aerith as she watched the Cetra with a blank stare. Her dress swayed gracefully in the air with every move and turn she executed. Her hair flapped gently under the wind too as the sunshine reflected off her silky, brown locks. Jessie looked at her own dress that she had in her hands that was made of rough patches of cloth, looked at Aerith, and then quickly made her way to the sewing shop.

~Five years ago, in Sector 7~

_Tifa held the blueprints of her future bar, nodding excitedly as her eyes marveled at the construction design. "This… this is great, Barret. If this becomes successful, then I don't know how to thank y—"_

_"Save it all for later. You got a job to do, don't you?" said Barret as he waved away all her appreciation. He already knew how much it meant to her—to have a stable home here in Sector 7. "I'll have some people help out with the construction. You're going to see a big one coming soon."_

_Tifa smiled happily at the dark-skinned man as she clutched the blueprints to her chest. Barret had done so much for her in the past four years she'd been here at Midgar. Desperately working odd jobs to secure a stable living, it wasn't until Barret suggested her to open a shop when she was able to envision a happier, less tiresome life. Putting all the money she saved up from working during those grueling years, she invested in building a bar—something Sector 7 didn't quite have yet._

_It was going to be great._

_Tifa didn't know how long she was going to stand there, looking at the empty plot of land where her future bar was going to be, until some whispering in the crowd got her ears perked up. She looked at Barret, who directed his hard gaze at a certain direction all of a sudden along with everyone else._

" _Look, a SOLDIER. What is one doing here? Don't tell me he's here to destroy the place!" one voice exclaimed out of fear._

" _It's been half a year since Shinra got defeated, quit worrying so much," another voice tried to assure, but even his couldn't mask the hesitance in his voice. "Maybe just inspecting? They were the ones who went against Shinra after all."_

" _A damn SOLDIER? What's one doing around these parts?" Barret growled, already getting ready the gun on his arm. "They got another thing coming if they think they can storm their asses in here."_

" _Wait, Barret, hold on," Tifa urged, placing a hand on his arm. Her eyes couldn't move away from the backside of the man who grabbed everyone's fear and attention. That blonde, spiky hair—it couldn't be._

" _Tifa, wait, don't go over there!" Barret tried to grab onto Tifa to stop her from doing anything stupid, but she slipped away from his reach before he could._

_Tifa felt her heart race and drum in her ears as she anxiously got closer to the man; it wasn't hard since no one dared to approach him as he surveyed the area. He was taller, more muscular, and had a large weapon she'd never seen before, but she was sure of it. It was him. There was no one else who had hair like that on the Planet. She could barely see the ground below her as her vision started to blur out of all the excitement that drenched the blood running through her. She had thought she was the only one to survive the fire. Finally, someone! And it was him too!_

_She was never that close to him back in Nibelheim—just a neighborhood kid who followed her around as she hung with her own group of friends. He was a tad bit annoying and childish, and her friends reckoned that he had a silly crush on her too, but none of that mattered anymore as she sought to turn that shoulder around and see a face she hadn't seen for over four years. How did he survive? And why didn't she see him sooner? It was okay—she was going to get all her answers soon enough._

" _Cloud!" yelled Tifa in joy and happiness. "Cloud, it's you, right? It is!" Once she made it over to him to be at arm's reach, she placed a hand on his shoulder to turn him around, desperate to see those familiar sapphire orbs._

" _Tifa, no!" Barret screamed._

_Tifa didn't know why everyone around her gasped in horror, but it only took a split second for her to realize why when the arm that reached out to touch him never made its mark. Instead, a gloved hand shot out and grabbed her wrist in a near bone-shattering grip. She felt herself get spun around as he painfully trapped her in a headlock, barely enabling her to breathe._

" _Who are you?" she heard him bark into her ear. "And what do you want?"_

_The voice was familiar, albeit a lot deeper. However, it wasn't what she imagined it to be. She remembered it as being shy and naïve and soft. All that was gone, mysteriously, only to be replaced with coldness and caution. Was she mistaken? Was this not Cloud?_

" _Cloud, it's me, Tifa!" she struggled to cough out as her hands grasped desperately at his arm for some more room to breathe. "Tifa Lockhart!"_

_She didn't think it would work since a part of her started to wonder if she was mistaken after all, but she found the arm around her neck loosen as he processed what she just said._

" _Tifa?" and he finally let her go. Tifa smiled in relief as she regained herself. It was him!_

" _Cloud, is it really you? Oh my gosh, I thought I was the only one who—" when she turned around to finally see a familiar face, what she saw shocked her out of finishing her sentence._

_The baby face she remembered was gone. Jaw hard and angled, puberty had shaped his face handsomely. Nose tall and straight and lips thin yet pink and smooth, he looked like he was sculpted with all the ideal features in mind. However, these things were the last things on her mind as she stared at his eyes in shock, confusion, and nearly fear._

_They weren't full sapphire anymore. Mako. It stained his eyes in a beautiful yet haunting color._

" _It's you," he simply said. There was barely a change in expression, but his surprise was evident with the way his mako eyes widened slightly. He looked her up-and-down, making sure that the Tifa she claimed to be was actually her. "Tifa." He hadn't noticed her shock yet as he let his hand go of the hilt of his sword. "You're alive."_

" _Cloud… those eyes…"_

" _Ah," his fingers raised up to eye-level, hovering as he took a moment to think of words to say. He hadn't expected to see her lovely face—a face he couldn't protect four years ago. Emotions he didn't think he would ever experience anymore slowly creeped into him. He thought she was dead. But here she was, standing before him, alive. What was he supposed to feel? How was he supposed to explain to her what had happened during these four harsh years?_

_He shouldn't. He won't. He should go. He didn't come here to just meet and chat with old friends._

" _Tifa—" when he took one step towards her, he didn't expect her to suddenly take an abrupt step back. He paused in his movements as he finally registered the emotion splattered on her face._

_Fear._

_He nearly laughed at how unironically funny it was._

_Of course. What was he expecting?_

~.~.~

Tifa sighed as she thought about her relationship with Cloud, thinking about all the things she could've done differently. What separated her from everyone else in the crowd five years ago when she first saw him in Sector 7? Thinking about it now, Cloud must've been relieved to see her, despite the lack of emotions, and in response, she slapped him in the face with her shock, surprise, and fear. It must've hurt him.

The next few years got better, but it wasn't ideal. She was too scared to speak to him whenever he had his unexplained headaches and nightmares. Her words barely reached him as she said the same things over and over again: "it's okay" and "stop saying sorry."

Everything she learned about him and what he had gone through within the next five years weren't because he voluntarily told her. No, she merely put together all the scrambled puzzle pieces that she collected from his nighttime deliriums and mako-induced rants. He told her of things she couldn't understand: of battles, lost SOLDIERs, and Shinra. She learned of his regrets of how he couldn't do anything to protect her from almost getting killed by Sephiroth that night, how he couldn't return to her sooner, and how she must've felt lonely being one of the only survivors as both of them bathed in survivor's guilt. All of it was true, but she never blamed him for any of it—he only blamed himself.

The only thing she could do was give almost-meaningless comforts, both verbally and physically. The two had only each other in this new place, whether it was within the vast plains of Sector 7 or in his bed at night, engaging in loveless acts of temporarily bliss and forgotten nostalgia as they sought refuge in each other.

After three years had passed, Cloud got visibly better through time's healing magic as he got used to his new home of Sector 7. He met all of Tifa's friends, who didn't regard him kindly initially, but everyone slowly learned of the soft heart inside and his good intentions.

"Become a mercenary" was what she advised him when he said he needed more connections and claimed how he couldn't just hang around Sector 7 any longer. "That way, you can find what you are looking for. It's better than just traveling around aimlessly, don't you think?" Slowly but surely, Cloud managed to be fine on his own as he took on all sorts of jobs that spanned all the sectors of Midgar and even outside of the once mako-crazy city. The frequency of the nightmares and headaches decreased, and so did their intimate nighttime pleasures. It wasn't healthy, the both of them agreed, to maintain that sort of relationship.

It was when she decreased the frequency of her nighttime visits that she realized she loved him. She didn't love him just because he was a Nibelheim survivor like her, nor was it because of her attachment to the past. No, it wasn't any of that. She grew to love him because of the heart he carried that cared for others despite the cold exterior. He was a kind young man, who still had the capacity to think about others despite all the horrible things he went through. He was Cloud Strife, the boy who fate reconnected her back with.

If only she could've assured him of that, then would things be different between them? If only she told him that she saw him for who he was and not for the past. If only she spoke her words in earnest and from her heart, not from repetition and habit. If only she was braver and truly urged him to confide in her and talk to her about his problems freely. If only she just knocked on the doors of his past that kept them apart. If only, then they could've evolved into something else and not into this complicated relationship of loose attachment and adoration for each other.

Tifa had five years to do it, but it was five years too late. Now, someone else was by his side, doing a better job than she ever did. She sighed as she mindlessly washed the dirty dishes as the bar boomed with business. Even with all this thinking, it didn't matter.

She was just glad that Cloud was back, safe and alive where she could see him.


	9. Chapter 9

~Six years ago~

_Cloud impaled the last clone ruthlessly in the head, digging the blade through it and into the dirt for good measure. Blood pooled sickeningly into the ground, shining a red gleam that made some nauseous. The other SOLDIERs sheathed their weapons as they watched the blond with slight perturbance._

_"Cloud, I think that's enough," a second-class SOLDIER said hesitantly._

_Cloud showed no hints of hearing anyone's words as he finally took out his sword and whipped it to get rid of as much blood in one motion as he could before putting it away on his back. He turned to face the second-class SOLDIER: Kunsel._

_"Round up everyone who is still alive," Cloud coldly ordered. "These shitty clones are stronger than they look. We'll meet at base and discuss the newly-obtained insider information. Then, we can plan our next steps." Everyone who heard his words shifted at their feet, not completely compliant with his orders, but they set out to do what was being told of them. However, one person was not having it._

_"Okay, look here, buddy."_

_Kunsel got pushed aside as another second-class SOLDIER went up to Cloud and held him by the collar of his shirt._

_"Luxiere, stop," Kunsel tried to warn the SOLDIER, but he didn't listen as he tugged at Cloud. The blond simply stared him down with icy eyes as he waited to hear what the second-class SOLDIER had in store for him._

_"Who do you think you are, ordering us around like dogs?" Luxiere spat in his face. "Who made you boss around here? You might have the strength and abilities of a first-class SOLDIER, but you can kiss your ass to hell if you think you're one of us. Honor? You have none of that." Then he looked at the infamous sword attached to his back and clutched at Cloud harder. The blond showed no signs of pain. "Zack may have believed in you and entrusted you with the Buster Sword, but you're_ _**nothing** _ _like him. I don't understand why a bastard like you came out alive and not him."_

_"Luxiere, enou—"_

_Cloud wrenched the hands off of his shirt, took one by the wrist, and twisted it painfully in an unnatural, upward angle, causing the SOLDIER to scream in pain. The blond shoved him onto the ground, not caring if he had accidentally broken a bone._

_"Fight me in battle rather than with those useless words of yours," Cloud said, unamused by all the fearful looks he got. "And you can whine all you want about Zack. Remember who killed him. And if you think it's me, you're sorely mistaken. It's Shinra. Target your hate on them, and not me. That's the least you can do as part of this rebellion. And if you think you can do better, strip me of my sword right here. That is, if you can. Any one of you can try." Cloud projected his words not only to Luxiere, but to everyone who heard his words. He knew the second-class SOLDIER wasn't the only one upset about receiving orders from a non-SOLDIER who joined their troops three years ago uninvited. When Cloud placed a hand on the hilt of his sword, no one dared to stand around any longer. Quickly, their feet moved as they followed his previous orders. Luxiere scrambled to his feet as well and distanced himself away from the blond as much as he could. Only Kunsel stayed behind as he gave Cloud a worried look._

_"Cloud, easy there."_

_"You aren't going along with the others?"_

_"Cloud, I know you blame yourself the most for Zack's death," Kunsel sighed. He was one of the only people three years ago who saw the pitiful blond desperately searching for the supposed-SOLDIERs Zack told him to find. With sword too heavy for him, the Cloud at that time almost seemed like an illusion. Eyes scared, body trembling, and emotions fragile, Cloud was nothing like he was now. Now, the eyes were unyielding, his body hard and steeled, and emotions seemingly inexistent. It wasn't a surprise; three years of gruesome battling did that to a person._

_Cloud simply stared at Kunsel before he turned around and left to go scout out the area, leaving the SOLDIER to watch his back sadly._

_These mako-eyes—they didn't belong anywhere. Not with regular civilians nor with SOLDIERs._

~.~.~

"Knock knock, anyone in there?"

Cloud snapped out of his mental train through memory lane when Aerith finished up her sales in Sector 3 and appeared before him. She gave him a small closed-mouth smile as her eyes questioned him curiously. "There seems to be a lot going on in there," and she reached a finger and playfully tapped him on the side of his head. He instinctively moved his head away to avoid her finger if she did it again before shaking his head.

"Nothing much. Just thinking about old stuff."

"So mysterious. When will I ever get to hear the story of a lifetime?" Aerith giggled. She took him by the arm so that they could sit by a bench. He allowed her to drag him as they sat beneath a large tree for the shade. The sun still shined brightly; it would've been a waste to just go home without spending some time with the beautiful day.

"Story of a lifetime? It's nothing exciting," claimed Cloud as he settled his sword against the bench like he always did. He would be lying if he said bringing his sword everywhere wasn't a bothersome task. "Or, at least, nothing too exciting for someone like you."

Aerith tilted her head at him as she frowned a bit. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's a story a female like you wouldn't enjoy," he scoffed. And he wasn't lying. He agreed that it was a beautiful day; there was no reason to ruin it with a somber story. Even if the day wasn't beautiful, he would never talk about his past voluntarily with anyone. That was what he told himself once he settled to have a somewhat-normal life in Sector 7.

"Well, if that is what you think. But remember!" Aerith held up three fingers. "Step three!"

"… What was it again?"

Aerith huffed, disappointed that he forgot so easily. "Are you even taking this seriously? Step three: say what's on your mind. Especially when it has you thinking like a mad scientist ready to discover a new theorem."

Cloud uncomfortably rubbed the back of his neck. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't really listened to nor followed any of the steps for her "healing regiment." Even though he had a hard time taking her seriously about it, he knew that his headaches would keep on coming if he didn't do something about it. He thought about what to say, not sure on what could be an appropriate topic to speak up about.

"How about we start with this?" Aerith said when she saw him think long and hard about it. She held up a finger at her own eyes. "It's been on my mind ever since we first met."

"What has?" Cloud pointed to his own eyes in question. "My eyes?" Now he began to get real uncomfortable.

"Mhm, mhm!" Aerith nodded cheerfully. She started to swing her legs underneath the bench as she grasped its edges with her hands. "Remember what you said to me the day we first met? When we were in front of my door?"

Cloud honestly did not remember what kind of words they exchanged, but he did remember their first instance of closeness when she touched his face so fleetingly. Why did she do that again?

"You apologized to me. And asked if I was scared when I saw your eyes up close," Aerith remembered for him, causing a lightbulb to turn on above his head. "And you told me you weren't a SOLDIER. All that screams a story, don't you think? But it's not a story you have to tell now. Let me ask you a question instead."

Cloud scooted away on the bench when he realized how they were a bit too close. Being close to her was not good for his mental stability for reasons unknown, so he always tried to maintain a respectable distance from her as her bodyguard. Aerith blinked, wondering why he was suddenly shying away again, before she automatically closed the space with a scooch. He did it again until he had no where else to go when he reached the end of the bench.

"Can you stop?" Cloud said, feeling a bit bullied by the florist. He hesitantly placed a hand on her shoulder to push her away, causing her to erupt into giggles as she heeded his words and gave him a little bit more space.

"I just thought doing that would make my interrogation a little bit more intimidating so that I can get some words out of you," she laughed.

"… You're quirky."

"And quirky is cute, right?"

"No," he deadpanned, causing her to laugh some more. "So, what's the question?" He was curious on how Aerith was going to approach this and somehow make his migraines better.

"What makes you think your eyes are scary?" Aerith asked. Her tone changed to a more serious one. "If you don't mind me asking that."

"Already a loaded question," he muttered. He looked at the sun through the leaves of the tree before turning away to avoid getting blinded. Now that he thought about it, it had been a while since he just sat around just to enjoy the weather. When was the last time? "Isn't the answer simple? They're just… different." He thought about it a little bit more before he voiced out what he had heard from the mouths of people who had seen his eyes. "The mako symbolizes the human part that was given up for… _power._ And it's just not normal. I don't know."

He painfully remembered Tifa's face five years ago. "People get scared when they see something different and strange. Mako eyes are affiliated with Shinra, so its worse now that they're gone. To them, it reminds them of a dark history. What is it that I keep hearing from people?" Cloud quoted the air as he darkly said his next few words. "'Stay away from him. People like him have a dangerous background, so it is best if you stay away.' Something like that." Then, his voice changed back to its usual calmness. "But it's whatever now. I'm used to it."

"It's not 'whatever' if those types of stigmas and stereotypes get you feeling like this."

"Like what?"

"Unaccepting of yourself," Aerith gently finished. Cloud stiffened a bit at her words. She wasn't wrong, but he didn't like to think about it that way where he could hear it in tangible words.

Aerith sighed as she saw his stubborn demeanor. "I know you probably won't believe me when I say that all of those things aren't true."

"Doesn't matter if it's true or not because that doesn't change the way people think."

" _You_ have to believe that it's true."

"…"

Aerith quickly changed the topic so that the mood wouldn't get so depressing on such a sunny day. "Sector 7 people seem to be used to you. They're even friendly, so not everyone thinks that way. See?"

"It's only because of Tifa," he explained. His appreciation for the young woman started to show in an almost affectionate manner as he talked about her, earning Aerith's complete attention. This was the first time Cloud ever said anything about Tifa other than denying any sort of suggestive relationship. "She… helped me get out of dark. Found me a home to live at in Sector 7 even though I didn't want to at first. Hooked me up with a lot of jobs so that I could find what I was looking for. I gave up on looking though when years passed without a single clue, so here I am, having a full-time job as a bodyguard instead."

"I heard from somewhere that you took this job on for Tifa?"

"Ah… Yeah," he embarrassingly admitted. He didn't even ask where Aerith heard that small detail from. "She… didn't like me going off anymore since she didn't know when I would come back after days."

"… You do a lot for her, don't you?" Aerith said softly, looking at the hands that were now clasped in her lap. "It's obvious that you care for her."

"Of course, she's important to me," he blurted out without thinking much behind his words. His strange feelings of forgotten love for Tifa started to emerge from a box that was tucked away in his heart the more he pondered about her. He didn't know how Aerith managed to get him to talk so much in the first place—it must've been that persuasive power she had with her flexible words—but it made him experience feelings he hadn't thought about in a long, long time.

They had a strange relationship. There was something unspoken between them, and it remained unspoken because of his hesitance and poisonous attachment to the past. Tifa—she could do better. He felt like he burdened her so much with his restless nights and reminders of Nibelheim over the years. She didn't need someone like him in her life—someone who dragged her along to terrible visits of his past.

He had strong feelings for her before, but they got severely overshadowed and buried as the grueling years passed. So many other things weighed on his chest that took his mind away from bar owner. The guilt, the scars, and the reminders of the past the mako poisoning fed him constantly—they all made his feelings for Tifa almost seem ridiculous and unnecessary. Forgotten they were, and only by sitting there, talking while enjoying the sun's warm rays, was he able to think about these untouched feelings. However, no matter how forgotten his feelings were for her, it would never erase the fact that Tifa was someone important, and he would do everything he could to repay his enormous debt to her.

He started to feel even stranger as he continued to sort out his thoughts about Tifa. It was something he had only started to notice as of late, and he didn't know why it happened. Along with Tifa, he would suddenly start thinking about Aerith. There wasn't much about her to think about since she did not fit in with any of the contexts of his thoughts, but her presence would suddenly barge in, uninvited, as if thoughts about Tifa couldn't happen without being accompanied with thoughts about Aerith.

"Ugh," he shook his head, deciding to halt these confusing ideas and rebury them. He had other things to think about rather than about two women.

Cloud didn't realize how quiet he had gotten for an extended amount of time until he heard Aerith shift beside him. The florist had simply looked at him as she patiently waited for him to organize his thoughts. He would've believed it if someone told him that the Cetra would wait until the end of the day, on the very same bench where they sat at, for him to say a word.

"Sorry," he apologized.

Aerith shook her head and stood up. He looked up at her as she stood in front of him, smiling encouragingly as the trees continued to shade her face from the sun.

"Some of those thoughts you had about Tifa just now. Shouldn't you communicate them to her?"

" _What?_ " he spluttered. His mind instantly screamed no as he eyed the florist with an unbelievable look. " _No_ , that's—that's _weird._ "

"Tifa really worries about you," Aerith sighed knowingly. The Cetra remembered her small conversation with the woman during the eco-project and shook her head. "I think it would mean a lot to her if you showed your appreciation for her instead of hiding yourself away like this in your thoughts. I think it would actually make her month, actually."

"What do you know?" Cloud unintentionally spat defensively, but he quickly gave her another apologetic look when he realized how harsh that sounded. "It's… it's _complicated._ "

"It's not complicated to let someone know how much you appreciate them and thank them for what they've done for you," Aerith urged. "And… I think communication between you two is long overdue. Believe me when I say it'll help clear some weight from your mind and help with the side-effects of the mako. It doesn't even need to be lengthy; I think Tifa would really, really be happy if you just… said some stuff to her. So that she doesn't feel like she's doing everything for nothing."

"She isn't," countered Cloud, proving Aerith's point. He looked away. Showing appreciation? That was too strange and unheard of for someone like him. Wouldn't Tifa already naturally know how much she meant to him? Clearly, Aerith had different ideas about his silent approach. "Are words really necessary for these sorts of things?"

"It'll make her happy," she repeated, "And you less burdened."

"I'm not burdened."

"Haha, you can try to convince me then with that brooding mood of yours all the time." Aerith offered him a hand, signaling for him to stand up. He looked at it hesitantly before he took it and heaved himself up from the bench.

"Is this some sort of woman's intuition?" Cloud asked as he strapped his sword again. "You speak like you know something I don't."

"Of course. A dense man like you wouldn't understand our female wavelengths." Aerith jokingly put two fingers on her temple as she tilted her head towards Cloud's direction. "Maybe if I do this, we can somehow match up. How about it?"

"You're an idiot," was all he said before he bonked her on the head with the back of his hand and began to lead their way back towards the train station.

"You feel lighter, don't you? Speaking your mind just a little bit. Right, right?" Aerith said excitedly as she bugged him for an answer.

"…" He didn't give her an answer because he didn't want to confess that he, indeed, felt a little bit better talking about his stuff. It was even therapeutic, and he wondered how far this florist could push him to say more.

"Admit it," she continued to tease, "The people of Sector 7 _do_ accept you for who you are, even if its because of Tifa or not. Don't feel so alone, you emo kid."

"Did you just call me emo? I am _not,_ " he retorted, a bit offended. "Plus, I've been around doing stupid jobs for them for five years. They better get used to me or else they're gonna live the rest of their lives with these eyes haunting them wherever they go."

Aerith chortled at his dark sense of humor as a hand went up to cover her mouth. "That's a strange way of showing fondness for your sector, hm?"

"It isn't _fondness_ ," Cloud argued, feeling weird that Aerith would ever use that type of word to describe him, but he couldn't find another word to replace it. Claiming victory over his silence, Aerith skipped past him so that she could be leading the way this time.

"It's nice, hm? To have a community you belong in. Don't take what you have for granted. It's there for you, so realize that!"

"You speak as if you don't have one."

"…"

Aerith only turned around to smile at him once, and that signaled the end of their conversation as they embarked on their way back to Sector 5.

~.~.~

While Aerith got along with all of Cloud's friends, there were just some people, specifically one person, that made Aerith feel like she truly couldn't be a part of the group entirely. However, it didn't matter; it was impossible to get along with everyone in the world. She understood that. However, she thought that such an obstacle would slowly get buried as time passed. She thought she could continue pretending that all was fine, and that any sort of bad feelings would eventually fade away as she got to know everyone bit by bit at a time.

It was during dinner time on a certain day of work in Sector 7 where all of the façade of a harmonious group came crumbling down in pitiful pieces.

The closing hours of the bar came as customers slowly filed out the door. When no one else was left inside, Tifa stepped outside to greet all her friends who came together to eat dinner together like usual after a long day's work. Cloud and Aerith spoke by the side a little bit to say goodbye to each other before she came over to the group.

"Well, my shift in Sector 7 is done for today," and Aerith held up her flower basket in victory. A third of her flowers sold today—a new record. "You guys can have Cloud back. I'm sure he's a bit sick of me today." In response, Cloud simply rolled his eyes.

"Why don't you join us for dinner, Aerith?" Tifa asked warmly, realizing how she never joined them before. "You've been around us long enough to be part of our gatherings from time to time."

"I wouldn't want to impose," Aerith replied, surprised at her invitation. The dinners that Cloud had described before seemed like an exclusive thing shared between them. Even though she was excited at the idea of eating with people her age, she didn't want to feel out of place again like she did during their outing to Wall Market.

"Tifa's cooking is one of _the_ best around here," Wedge insisted. Biggs gave his comment the thumbs up while Barret nodded. "We've seen you enough times to have dinner together!"

Aerith looked at Cloud for permission. He shrugged, and muttered a "do whatever you want" before he left the group to enter into Tifa's bar first.

"Whatever, don't mind him. His head is always in his ass anyway," Barret rumbled before he too entered the bar. The rest followed as Tifa flipped the "CLOSED" sign out to face the outside.

Aerith readily made it her duty to place a flower in the vase where all her previous flowers were kept. Some were wilting a bit already, but that was to be expected. Rather, they lasted longer than she thought it would've. Tifa did a great job taking care of them.

"Thanks, as always," Tifa sounded behind her as she set to get cooking. "Always a beauty to look at."

"Of course. Though, you look really tired, Tifa," Aerith said worriedly as she saw her slightly pale complexion. "Would you like some help behind the counter? I'm not the best cook, but..."

Tifa shook her head and shooed her away with a hand. "I'm fine, I'm fine. No worries about me! It's the first time I'm cooking for you, so let me do it. Why don't you sit with everyone over there? Seems like they're having a blast."

"Aw, alright, but I'll help out next time!"

"Sure."

As Tifa busied herself in cooking for a party of seven, Aerith slowly made her way to the table where everyone sat, opting to sit next to Cloud. Already, they howled with laughter, minus Cloud, of course, as they recounted stories of their day. Barret had a horrible time fussing with his neighbor, who had three kids, on how to care for a sick child. Because he was so hopeless, Marlene was taken out of his hands and into her experienced care. Jessie updated them on how her production was progressing. A few more weeks, she said, and they better be at her performance. Biggs and Wedge helped unload boxes for one of the men at a produce stand. It was something they were requested to do spontaneously, but they didn't mind; after all, they got some fresh veggies as payment, something their families enjoyed very much.

"I would ask you what happened in your day, Cloud, but I think it's pretty obvious how it went," Biggs chuckled as he took a swig out of his beer. Cloud merely sighed as a result.

"Don't even mention it then."

"I'm just kidding. Glad to see you every day instead of wondering when you would come back. Those were the days, eh?"

"I've dealt with worse," and the mysterious blond left it at that.

Aerith hadn't said a word to contribute to the conversations, but she happily listened to everyone's stories. There wasn't much in her day to begin with—all she did was sell flowers after all. It wasn't until they began to talk about things she could not relate to when she really started to feel out of the loop with the conversations.

"My mom keeps begging me to come back and visit. My dad has been getting a lot better and is about to get discharged from the hospital, so of course, I'll go, but I just _know_ she's just gonna try to convince me to move back!" Jessie complained. Before she could grab the beer can, Cloud quickly shoved his glass of water into her hands, causing her to drink it by mistake. She glared at him when she realized she was just drinking plain water.

"Please. Stay sober at least until you finish dinner," Cloud demanded. She narrowed her eyes at him, but she nonetheless listened to his words as she poured herself her own glass of water.

"My parents have been wanting to go to vacation—perhaps topside," Wedge added in. "Kind of expensive, but what are we going to do with all the money we save?"

"Bring me a souvenir," Jessie munched on her ice. "Haven't been up there since I was a kid. Playing with my dolls and pretending we were at a beach resort was my vacation," and she cackled at her own silly childhood.

"I think she's getting cracked on the ice," Biggs smirked, never understanding what went through that head of hers. It was okay; he wasn't the only one.

As everyone continued to chat, Cloud felt like something was off, and it wasn't until he realized how he hadn't heard a single word come from Aerith. She usually had something to say with that mouth of hers, but instead, she simply sat there, listening intently and happily as everyone shared their joys about their family. Leaning a bit closer so that his voice didn't penetrate the ongoing conversations, he asked her what was wrong.

"Hm?" Aerith snapped out of it before she smiled her usual smile. "Nothing's wrong. Why do you ask?"

"You're kind of quiet."

"Didn't know you were paying attention."

Cloud felt a bit hot at being exposed before he shrugged. "Not something that's hard to miss."

"Fair. Can't a girl be quiet for a bit though?" And she smiled again.

Cloud hadn't seen that type of smile since the days they first got to know each other: the one that masked all her emotions under one false pretense. Already learning how fragile she could be underneath her playful mask since their conversation at the church, he was about to ask her what was wrong again until Tifa brought out their dinners: steak with greens, mashed potatoes, and salad on the side.

"Sorry, Aerith, I forgot to ask if you were vegetarian or not, so I tossed a special salad for you," and Tifa handed her a bowl of deliciously mixed greens along with her plate of meat. "You can hand over your plate over to Wedge if you can't eat it."

Just when Wedge got all excited, Aerith shook her head and laughed, "No, I'm not vegetarian. Thank you so much, I'll gladly dig in." And everyone's cheerful conversations continued now with Tifa joining the table.

"Aerith, do your parents badger you as much as mine does? Don't tell me it's just a me-thing and not a female-thing," Jessie asked, furiously cutting through her steak as she spoke. Aerith's eyebrows perked at being summoned into the conversation before she answered.

"My mom's the sa—"

" _Mhm_ , Tifa, this is _amazing_."

Huh?

Aerith blinked, confused. Cloud also momentarily paused in his eating, checking his ears to make sure he didn't hear wrong. The way Jessie continued eating made it seem as if she never asked the question in the first place. Not thinking much about it, Aerith started to eat as well. A few minutes passed before Jessie asked her another question.

"So, where are you from, Aerith? Were you born in Sector 5?"

Aerith, who didn't understand the sudden interest in her background around the table, wiped her mouth with a napkin as an excuse to buy more time so that she could formulate the right answer.

"I was born topside," and she quirkily pointed up to the roof with an index finger. "So, I've moved far from there to here, where it's a lot more peaceful. I prefer it a lot down here than up there."

"You are the first person I've met who said that down here in the slums is better than topside. You're a weird one, huh?"

Aerith laughed nervously. "Sure."

"And you must be pretty stacked."

"Pretty what?"

Jessie smiled as she rubbed her index and middle finger with her thumb. "On the richer side around here. Which is obvious since all you do is sell flowers as a living."

Okay, Cloud was now sure that Jessie was planning something, but Aerith pinched his thigh harshly from underneath the table, telling him to keep quiet. The small smile that played at her lips never disappeared as she handled Jessie with a type of grace he never saw from her before.

"My family had quite a sum back then when Shinra was still around," Aerith explained vaguely, and he knew she was referring to the times where she was literally held captive and experimented on by those bastards. "But ever since their fall, I've been living modestly with my mom in Sector 5."

"She's infamous in Sector 5. Everyone knows her," Biggs decided to join in the conversation. He felt a little bit of the unnatural air and wanted to dispel it from the table. "From the little kids to the elderly, she has quite the name."

His attempt however, was in vain when Jessie decided to fire another question.

"I think Cloud mentioned some time ago that you were only half-Cetra? Is the other half human?" If Cloud didn't know Jessie any better, then he would've taken her curiosity as genuine and earnest because he had asked the same exact question before. However, he knew Jessie over the past five years he had been in her presence. He didn't know what she was trying to do, but he knew that that her rather rude way of speaking was purposely directed towards Aerith for whatever blasted reason. It wasn't for Aerith he wanted to stand up for; he just didn't like this dirty method. However, before he could say anything again, Aerith's pinch on his thigh became harder, almost enough to elicit a visible response from him.

"Yeah, my mom was the full one. I live with my adoptive mom in Sector 5."

"…Was?"

"… She passed," and Aerith took huge gulps out of her water to calm her nerves.

"Shoot, I'm sorry, didn't mean to ask a sensitive question." Jessie didn't sound sincere at all. "I'm sorry to hear that. I'm sure she went peacefully."

Aerith nodded, not wanting to correct Jessie. She allowed Jessie to remember her mother's death that way anyway—the death of the last, honorable Cetra on the Planet surrounded with people and flowers and friends instead of a pitiful death by the train station as her body went limp and cold outside the Midgar winters before it got completely dissected by Shinra scientists.

Jessie stopped her difficult questions after that and resumed her merry eating with the group. Cloud also relaxed a little bit, glad that Jessie finally stopped her onslaught of passive-aggressive questions as conversations returned to their lighthearted fashion. Aerith even joined in on the laughs whenever someone said something funny. However, he knew that it didn't quite reach her eyes.

Aerith didn't miss the way Jessie kept sending her looks. She had stopped her verbal attack of questions, but that didn't mean the intensity of her gaze faltered as everyone enjoyed Tifa's cooking with either water or beer. The only thing Aerith could do was pretend she didn't notice the looks, and that everything was okay as she forced every bite down her throat. Once she was done, she stood up to excuse herself. She might not know when to draw lines, but she at least knew when her presence was unwanted.

"That was wonderful, Tifa. Thanks for feeding me your delicious cooking. I'm afraid I'll have to go now. I told my mom that was I was going to be home early."

"Of course. Come back next time."

"Bye, Cloud. I'll text you the next time I'm going to go outside Sector 5," and she left the bar. The bar suddenly became quiet when Aerith left. Naturally, everyone looked at Cloud, who simply took a drink out of his iced water before putting it back down on the table. It took three seconds of sitting in silence before he wordlessly turned around in his chair, stood up, and went after Aerith.

She didn't manage to get far as he jogged after her.

"Aerith, wait."

The Cetra turned around when she heard his voice calling for her. She wasn't far from the bar before he took her over to the side so that they could talk a little bit more in private. Her eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Hey, something the matter? Oh, don't tell me I forgot something." Aerith checked her arm to make sure she had her flower basket and her pockets to make sure she had her phone. When she had both, she looked at him again, head tilted to the side this time. "Doesn't seem like I forgot anything. Why'd you come out, silly?" Then she looked at him and saw how he didn't have his sword strapped to his back; it was the first time she ever saw him without it.

"You don't need to pretend everything is okay in front of me," he said. However, she shook her head.

"I'm actually okay. It's fine." Aerith laughed a little bit before she clasped her hands together and looked around so that she wouldn't just stare him down when she talked. It would make it seem serious. "Things like this always happen. It's to be expected."

"It's expected for Jessie to say offensive things to you?" he scoffed, crossing his arms. He didn't understand where her calm was coming from. She was usually affected by these types of situations where humans misunderstood her, such as the woman back in Sector 2, but she looked completely fine to him. He expected her to freeze and tear up again like last time at the church, but instead, he just saw an understanding smile.

"Not exactly," Aerith sighed. She let go of her hands as she swayed a little bit and held out her arms to balance herself as if she was walking on a thin piece of wood. Her eyes watched her feet the entire time as Cloud observed her almost carefree movements. "I always thought it was too good to be true to be part of a group so harmoniously. I mean, I did just pop up in your little circle of friends kind of uninvited. So, you can kind of say I expected something like this to happen?"

"And you're okay with that?"

"Didn't say I was. I'm just saying that I accept it. Can't change the world and how people think, right?" Aerith looked up to give him a soft look of assurance, referencing the same words he told her about himself the other day. "And I know Jessie's not a bad person. You're probably going to convince me of that, won't you?"

Cloud rubbed the back of his neck as he let out a long exhale. She wasn't wrong. He was going to say something along the lines of how Jessie usually wasn't that snappy despite her infamous mouth, but he didn't need to if Aerith already knew.

"Didn't know you would take this so well."

"That's what happens when you've had a lot of rough encounters with humans in your life," she mused, holding an index finger up knowingly. "I guess you can say I'm experienced. It comes with the Cetra blood, you know?"

"But you're human too," he stated blatantly. None of her words made sense to him; she kept speaking as if she wasn't the same as the rest of them simply due to her half blood. "So, I'm not following."

Aerith seemed surprised from his statement with the way she stopped waddling around and turned her eyes from her feet to his face. However, her surprise evaporated from her expression as she released gentle rings of laughter. "Well, of course I know that too! I know…"

Cloud watched as she let go of a long breath, then took a deep breath in, only to let it out again as she clasped her hands behind her back, bracelets clacking together from the movement. "You want to know something Cloud?"

"What is it?"

"I'm glad I met you."

It was his turn to let out a shaky breath as his heart rate picked up a little bit from the suddenness of her declaration. He didn't know what to say back, but he didn't need to as she continued to explain yourself. "I won't lie. I'm only okay because you're here."

"… I'm not really doing much." He wasn't trying to be modest. All he did was just stand there and listen to her like a mute as she spoke. Since the time they met, he felt like _she_ was the one who helped him out with her encouraging words and her determination to get his mind all fixed up. He didn't feel like he ever was able to do the same for her, so he simply felt guilty for being credited for nothing.

"I don't know what I'm doing for you."

"I used to hate humans when I was younger," Aerith began as she touched on her past experiences a bit. Her eyes returned to the ground as her feet returned to moving. This time, she simply paced in small steps in front of him as she started to reminisce. "I didn't understand their greed and selfishness and how they could be so blinded by it. Yet I wanted to fit in with them simply because they were the majority on this Planet. After escaping Shinra and living within human civilization with Elmyra for the other half of my life until now, I've grown to understand them a little bit more. A little part of me still had some sort of resentment though, even though I already accepted it. Like why don't they understand? And, like I said before in the church with you, what am I doing all this for?"

"…"

"And I still was tormented a little bit until I met you, Cloud."

Aerith shuffled through her flower basket and took out a dark pink rose free of thorns. Just like the day they first met, she tucked it behind one of the straps of his shirt. His eyes followed her fingers the entire time until they landed on the dark pink rose. Remembering how every flower had some sort of meaning, he asked her.

"What does this represent?"

"It's a rose that symbolizes appreciation," she explained, voice gentle and quiet. "The reason why I'm okay is because I'll always remember what you told me back there in the church. How there are good people out there who do understand. Who care. People like you."

"I think you're giving me too much credit here," he said, shaking his head. He felt too responsible for this, even if it was for a good thing. "There's a lot of things I don't understand. Things I don't know."

"But you _try_ ," she emphasized, as if to shower all her emotions, from the depths of her heart, onto the words she delivered to him. "You try your best to the point where your eyebrows begin to knot up all weird," and to prove her point, she rested a finger on his forehead like last time in an attempt to dispel all the crinkles, but they simply remained. Her fingers then spread out away from his forehead and onto his cheek as she gently cupped the side of his face, causing him to take a slow, deep breath in. "Despite all the things you've been through—horrible things, I imagine—you still have the heart to care. It's people like you who make me continue to believe in humanity and their role to better this Planet."

Aerith had to wipe her eyes with the back of her hand real quick as she laughed and smiled. "You're a lot more than you think you are, Cloud. Give yourself some very much deserved credit."

"Aerith…"

She hit him with so many things at once, he didn't know how he should be feeling or what he should say back. The words that he said to her in the church—he didn't think they were that important. To him, they were just simple truths for comfort. However, if even simple words like his were able to make this sort of impact on her, then he wouldn't mind speaking up more often. He wouldn't mind being thrust into uncomfortable situations if it meant that the woman before him would feel better.

The only person he ever truly cared about around here was Tifa. At this rate, one more person had to be added on the list.

"So, you're gonna be alright then?"

"When did you ever worry about me like this?" Aerith giggled, and he had a weird sense of déjà vu. Right. Tifa had said something like that before. "It's rare for you to express it so outwardly."

"The English vocabulary can only be so large," he grumbled, earning another laugh from her. She peeked to the side so that she could see the entrance of the bar; it didn't seem like anyone left yet.

"Thank you for coming to see me, Cloud. I know it probably takes a lot of effort for you to just stand here and listen to me. Doesn't seem like a thing you usually do."

"It isn't," he said. Then, he shrugged. "But I can learn." And it was time to learn now. "Aerith."

"Yes?"

"… You belong here," he pointed to the ground as he referred to the Planet. "You… have a community here too. Even if it doesn't seem like it since some people are just insensitive jackasses around here, but what matters is that you believe in that, right?" He indirectly quoted the words she told him. "You'll find a place eventually. That'll make the two of us."

"Cloud…"

He felt so, so weird to be consoling her for a second time, but it felt more natural than the first time as he managed the faintest of smiles. "From what I've seen, you're no quitter. Right?"

Aerith smiled, visibly touched at the things he said to her. "Thank you, Cloud. Really. Maybe I should act sad more often so that you can say these sweet things more."

Cloud instantly frowned. "You do that, and you'll never hear from me again." He was not surprised at the way she seemed to pop right back up from the blue moods. That was just her strange power. "But I mean what I say."

"I know, I know. You're a man of few words after all." She grabbed him by the shoulders from behind and pushed him towards the direction of the bar. "Now go! I don't want to keep you out here any longer. I think your friends are waiting. Don't get too mad at them, hm?"

"…" He wasn't going to promise anything. "Get back safe."

"Thanks, I will."

Before he walked off, she tapped him on the shoulder to grab his attention one more time. He turned around to see what else she had to say to him before he left.

"What's up?"

Within an instant, his senses got overwhelmed by the scent of flowers while his chin bumped gently against the florist's head as thin arms snaked around his mid-torso tightly. He received Aerith's soft and warm embrace with stupor as he felt his breathing become rugged with the butterflies that immediately raged in his chest from the intimate contact.

"Thank you, Cloud. I really mean it when I say that too," she whispered softly into his shoulder, breath tickling a sensitive part of his neck. "They fill me with a type of strength that I haven't had in a really long time, so thank you."

He couldn't get the chance to hug her back when she separated herself from him too soon. The hug hadn't lasted long, but he felt like it did with the way he took too much time considering whether or not to respond back. Aerith's cheeks pinkened a little bit as she smiled at him.

"What, did I go too soon for you?" she asked when she saw his frozen look of surprise. Aerith teasingly held out her arms again. "Here, you can have another chance to hug me back. Haha, just kid—"

She couldn't take back her joke when Cloud wordlessly took a step closer and guided her back onto his shoulder with a hand behind her head. Her breath got taken away as her cheek rested on his shoulder comfortably, her eyes never diminishing in size as she stared at all the people passing by who were heading back home after work. Even she didn't know what to say as Cloud rested the side of his face on her head quietly and without an explanation.

"What are you doing, Cloud?"

"I don't know," he breathed roughly, feeling almost nauseous from all the fluttering in his chest. He himself couldn't understand why he pulled her back into him so daringly, so it didn't help with her asking why. "I don't know, but don't ask."

It just felt… right. To have her close. To have her fire spread its flames into him in a slow and hypnotic singe. It was just so comforting that he feared he wouldn't let go.

But he had to when it lasted too long for both of their sanities to endure.

"Sorry," he said, unable to meet her eyes. Aerith shook her head, also unable to meet his gaze.

"I'll get going. A-and don't get too mad at your friends!" she reminded him. He couldn't see what kind of expression she had before she slipped by his side and made her way back home. Looking at his hand, he wondered what kind of crazy took over his mind this time as he let out a groan and banged his head onto the wooden walls of 7th Heaven in frustration.

"Ugh, stupid, stupid. _Why?_ "

Never had he ever felt so impulsive before.

Now he _really_ made things awkward for them the next time they saw each other.

_So much for being just a bodyguard._

But he shook his head and decided to figure out these weird feelings he had for the Cetra later. Now, he had someone to deal with inside the bar.

When the two were having their talk outside, Tifa and Jessie had their own conversation in the bar right after Cloud left.

"Jessie, what was that?" Tifa instantly questioned the moment the door to the bar closed shut behind Cloud. The smile was long gone from her face as a large and disappointing frown pointed itself to Jessie, who casually just sipped her can of beer as if she did nothing wrong. " _Jessie._ "

"I just gave her a wake-up call. That's all," Jessie simply answered, switching the can of beer in her hands with her glass of iced water. "We all know, or at least _I_ know since these three male knuckleheads don't know a thing." Biggs, Wedge, and Barret knew not to butt in the conversation as they continued to silently eat their dinner.

"Know what?"

"That she doesn't fit in here. With us. In the slums."

Tifa's eyebrows moved, never staying still as emotions of confusion and disappointment ran through her. It took a moment for her to find the words again. "We are all accepting people here, aren't we? Jessie, you're not telling me something."

"I also just don't like it."

"Like what?"

"How she completely ignored my words when I told her not to get in between you two."

"You _what_ , Jessie?" Tifa immediately became stern again. "Me and Cloud?"

"She's homewrecking," was all Jessie replied as an answer. "I don't like homewreckers either. Says a lot about character."

Flabbergasted, Tifa didn't know what to say except, "Cloud and I aren't like that."

"Really, Tifa? You're really going to continue saying that?" Jessie slammed her cup of water back onto the table, causing Tifa to jolt. "I'm sorry for sticking my nose into your guys' relationship, but I really can't stand to look at your uncomfortable expressions anymore whenever you see those two together."

Tifa felt like Jessie was misunderstanding something, but she couldn't muster up the words to say anything back to the young woman in front of her as she continued to release her rant. "Tifa, you're always trying to be there for him. You've been the one by his side, through thick and thin, for five years since he came back after he apparently went missing from Nibelheim. But some girl who he is paid to bodyguard suddenly noses her way in, thinks she fits with us people from the slums despite how _privileged_ she is to sell measly _flowers_ as an occupation, while we work our sweat and bones off just to make a daily living here. And she annoyingly frolics around our sector like it's some sort of park to throw and pick her flowers at. Cloud may not see it but—"

"Jessie!" Tifa shouted, instantly shutting the young woman up. "Jessie, you know nothing about her, so please, don't say that kind of stuff about her." Tifa looked away. "And you've gotten me all wrong. I… my relationship with Cloud isn't how you think it is."

"What are you saying? You are _way_ too nice. Woman, you're _always_ caring for him. Instead, he turns to look another way towards another woman. I care about you, and it just feels wrong to see Cloud getting literally _bewitched_ by her _._ "

Before Tifa could explain to Jessie how she mistakenly believed in a somewhat-false picture of her relationship with the blond, Cloud busted through the door. It was clear that he was _not_ happy.

"Speak of the devil, look who's back," Jessie sighed.

"Jessie, care to explain?" he coolly asked her as he approached the table. He was going to wait to hear her reasons before he said anything. Tifa silently breathed out in relief when he showed no signs of overhearing what they were talking about before she tried to stand in-between them.

"Had a fun time out there flirting with Aerith?" Jessie provoked, causing Tifa to just put her head over her forehead and look away. She did not want to be a part of this.

"Look, if you had a problem with her, maybe you could've dealt with it in a more, I don't know, _civil_ way, Jessie?" Cloud fumed. It was rare to see him this mad. It made Jessie think of it as more ridiculous before he hammered it down on her. "I'm sure we're all grown-ups at this table. Some are questionable, sure," and he looked at Barret, who tilted his neck back in shock before putting a hand at his chest at being accused, "But really? Did you really have to be a bitch?"

"Did you just call me a _bitch_?" Jessie scoffed. She pushed her chair back as she stood up to look him in the eye. Cloud didn't waver in his hardened gaze.

"Hey, guys, guys, let's not get mad at each other like this. How about we sit down?" Wedge whimpered as he saw how things were escalating so fast. Plus, the steak was getting cold.

"The last time I checked, we put communication first before dirty methods like passive-aggressiveness. That was the rule around here, wasn't it?" Cloud ignored Wedge's plea as he surveyed the table, looking everyone in the eye before he continued. "Weren't we an accepting bunch?"

"I was accepting when I met her at first," Jessie growled. "Nice girl. Couldn't harm a fly even if she wanted to. She's a kind person."

"But?"

"But it started to annoy me. And learning her background today was enough to prove my views of her type of people—topside people," Jessie scoffed. "It took me a few days of knowing her to finally form my impression of her."

"And what is it?"

"She's a complete airhead," she hissed. "Her clothes and her soft, unroughened skin are enough evidence to prove how she hasn't lifted a single bone in her body for work. She glides around through every sector as if they're her gardens, being so fussy and loud. Females like me and Tifa aren't spared by how life runs in the slums. We want to live her type of life too—who wouldn't? To wear a silky dress and just skip around without a care in the world and sell _flowers._ To have a life where the money is already supplied because of a wealthy background, allowing us to just go around exploring the sectors, to enjoy things like cake and tea and all that expensive stuff. But we _can't_. Because we live in the real world, not the dreams that the Cetra lives in almost every day. Her type of people doesn't belong in the slums. We all have reasons to be here, to live in the slums, to live in the shittiest of areas in Midgar, but she, a topsider, has no reason to be here."

"Alright, Jessie, I think that's enough," Biggs finally interrupted as he listened to Jessie's emotional rampage. It was getting a lot more out of hand than he thought it would be. He had stayed out of it because it seemed like a women's problem, but it was evident that it was a lot more than that now.

"You men are so yielding against women like her," Jessie snapped this time at Biggs, who held up his two hands in surrender. "Any pretty little lady that smiles at you and hands you a useless flower and you're down on your knees for her, huh? Sometimes I want to do girly things too instead of making _bombs_ all the time or sweating my _ass_ off hunting fucking monsters. Maybe on the side I can do the acting I always wanted to do, to perform, but it just isn't the same anymore when I _know_ what my real job is to survive. I—"

"Jessie," Cloud sighed. His muscles relaxed from their tightened state as he heard enough from the woman. "Listen—"

"No, _you_ listen—"

"You said everyone in the slums has a reason to be here," Cloud interrupted calmly. He jerked a thumb over to the entrance doors. "Don't you think she has a reason too?"

Jessie narrowed her eyes at him. "There is no reason for a topsider to be here. I've heard enough of her words to know what kind of life she has been living. A comfortable, happy, and—"

"You're just like one of those topsiders you hate so much if you think that way," Cloud didn't stop his relentless attacks as he prevented her from finishing a single sentence. He didn't need her to finish anyway to know what she was going to say. "Do you think the answers she gave you are enough to form a picture about her life? No, Jessie, she's not the type of person to one-up someone with her difficult past. You were just the one trying to force her into the picture you envisioned about her."

"What?" Jessie asked. She started to recognize how she was missing something with the way Cloud spoke. He simply shook his head in disappointment before he took his sword that was leaning against the table and attached it to his back, signaling his leave.

"As a person who lives in the slums as well, Aerith fully understands everyone's difficulties in living here. But do you, Jessie? Or are you just blind?"

And with that, Cloud left the bar without another word. Before he did, he plucked the dark pink rose Aerith had given him and slammed it onto the table in front of Jessie, leaving her to reconsider her actions for the night.


	10. Chapter 10

"Jessie, I think you messed up."

7th Heaven remained relatively empty in the morning as the crew sat in one of the empty tables. Tifa, who had finished prepping the latest order for the morning before patrol, came over to check what kind of words were exchanged between her friends. It was obvious as to what they were talking about when everyone's eyes remained trained on Jessie. Cloud was not with them for once; he usually spent some time in 7th Heaven before he got rung up by Aerith. Though, the reason for his absence was a no-brainer.

"Shut up, Biggs," Jessie sighed. The ferociousness she showed to all of them two days ago had completely dissipated, only to be replaced with doubt and a tinge of regret. She wouldn't have thought otherwise if an angry Cloud hadn't stormed in with the most words he'd ever strung together within a minute. His cool was infamous around here—to lose it meant something.

"You don't have to rub it in, I think she knows," Tifa said, lips pursed as she sat down with them. She took a peek at Jessie's downcast face, feeling a bit empathetic towards the woman despite her unnecessary blast at Cloud, Aerith, and her. Although a bit rude and ignorant, Jessie's sentiment was, unfortunately, a probable sentiment residents would have had if they were in Jessie's shoes.

"Don't give me that look, Tifa. I know exactly what you're thinking, and despite good intentions, it doesn't make me feel the brightest right now," Jessie chuckled darkly. "Truth to be told, I would prefer it if you showed even a hint of anger."

"And why would I do that?" Tifa said with a twinkle in her eye. "Mistakes happen, and it's up to you to fix them, right?"

"It would help if I knew what I'm sorry about."

"That doesn't sound apologetic," Biggs gave some more input. Everyone gave him the brow; if he said anything more, a fight might've broken out. However, Jessie simply glared at him before sighing again.

"I'm only considering it because Cloud looked _super_ upset. Guys, when was the last time you saw him that upset?"

"When I gave him some bullets up his ass doing patrol last month," Barret cackled, but he quickly shut up when none of his spirit reached the table. "But that shouldn't be the question. The boy is good at hiding his emotions, so it wouldn't surprise me if he'd been pissed at us before. Those damn eyes say it all if you look into it enough."

"Ey, Cloud's pretty nice to me," Wedge nodded happily, "I think he's just giving Jessie some space. He's not _that_ mad, in my opinion."

"Look, all this speculation isn't going to help anybody," Tifa laid a hand atop Jessie's, earning her eye contact, "Why don't you just find out through the best way there is?"

"Which is?"

"Just by asking."

~.~.~

"I don't know how many times I've said this, but I don't think this is part of the contract."

"Please, stop fussing over an imaginary document. Come in."

"… No."

Cloud dug his heels into the ground when Aerith hooked her hand onto his elbow and tried to get him to step foot into her house. He not only refused to budge, but he also refused to look her straight in the eye. He didn't know about her, but the effects of their intimacy still lingered in the back of his mind, stinging and prodding as he tried to push it away. The last thing he wanted to do to get it out of his head was to step into her house for whatever reason she had for him today.

It was only when she touched him at a sensitive spot on his stomach when he caved a bit, allowing Aerith to yank him through her door and close it. She smiled victoriously at him while he gave her the deadliest stare he had ever given her.

"Seems like Cloud Strife _is_ ticklish," Aerith grinned, wiggling her fingers in triumph.

" _Don't_ do that," he exasperated, hand placed over the area where she touched him. It made him feel more than just tickles. "If anyone saw us, they would've thought I was trying to ransack your house." Amongst other things. "What, we're not going out today?"

"Nope, not today!"

"Then why am I here?" He looked around, noticing Elmyra's absence. "Mom's not here?"

"She's out and about the markets right now. Come, sit," and Aerith pulled out a chair for him, urging him to settle down. It made him remember the first time they met, where they simply sat down at this very table to discuss a bit about her background. It wasn't that long ago when he came for the job, but it felt like ages with the way how their current relations with each other stood in stark contrast to their first encounter.

"Is that a small smile I see? What are you thinking about?" Aerith asked curiously as she grabbed him by the shoulders and placed him into the chair.

"Nothing. So, wanna tell me what you plan to make me do or are you just going to watch me leave the door?"

"You're _so_ snarky with your words," Aerith huffed. "I just want to shut that mouth of yours up sometimes."

Cloud felt his blood rush when Aerith touched his lips with a finger, soft and fleeting like the way she touched the velvety petals of her flowers. She discreetly winked at him with a single blink of an eye before she withdrew her hand and went to tend to the fridge. "You're here because I don't want to sell flowers today."

"And?" he breathed, silently letting go of the breath he didn't know he was holding. He had to suck his lips in for a bit to dispel the itch she left on him behind her back. It didn't go away for a long time as he watched her figure move around the fridge and shelves.

" _And_ , I can't spend some quality time with you, Mr. Bodyguard?"

"… Not part of the job."

"Fine. What if I ask this way?"

Cloud nearly fell backwards on his chair when Aerith suddenly turned around from the sink, tilted his chin up with a finger, and placed an apple slice into his mouth. His eyes widened at her as he instinctively chewed, the sweet juices of the fruit sinking into his tongue and taste buds. When he swallowed, Aerith smiled happily before setting the table up with a teapot, tea cups, a plate of sliced apples, and a plate of unsliced fruits.

"Spend time with me today, _Cloud,_ " she said cheekily. Cloud swallowed again, but this time, his mouth was empty.

Before he could question her strange motives, Aerith switched back to her normal voice and gave him the answer he sought. "It's been a while since we've continued the healing regiment. I'm feeling a bit under the weather today, so I thought it would be a nice day to stay in and help you out."

Cloud fully sat in his chair as he took his sword off and settled it against the edge of the table. He folded his arms onto it, eyebrows furrowed a bit in worry.

"You're not feeling well?"

"Oh, don't worry. I'm physically well. It's just… never mind." Aerith handed him a small two-pronged fork with an apple slice on it, urging him to take it. Cloud reluctantly took it, but he twirled it in his hand before he ever ate it. Her mind must've been on Jessie still, so he didn't push further on the topic.

"My headaches have been getting a bit better," Cloud reported. "So… is this stuff still necessary?"

"It's like stopping medicine too early—you can't stop now, even if you've been feeling fine lately," Aerith explained as she began to peel a pear with her nimble fingers. "And today, we'll proceed with step five!"

"Which is?"

"Enjoying a relaxing day with some fruit and tea," she giggled as she poured him a cup of tea after finishing up the pear. "The sun is out, warm and bright. It makes my house extra homey, so that's why I wanted us to have it here, in the kitchen."

Cloud would've argued with her, but she wasn't wrong as he felt himself relax in her humble abode. He propped his fork onto a plate as he hesitantly took the warm tea cup into his hands. It smelled odd; he wasn't one to ever drink something like tea.

"What is it?" he asked before taking a small sip. It hit his tongue differently from the fruits—slightly bitter, but calming. He could feel the heat of the liquid travel down his throat and spread through his chest before it settled in his stomach.

"Green tea. Helps with the stress." She reloaded his fork with a pear slice this time, making him feel like he was being babied. But, he didn't complain. When was the last time someone did this for him? It felt nice—to be taken care of at his age.

Memories of his mother started to creep into his conscious as Aerith continued to relax him through fresh fruits and delicious tea. Her face he barely remembered, but he would never forget the fond moments they shared. From her scolding to his mischief, it was just the usual between a young, teenage boy and his single mother.

The grip on his teacup tightened.

If only he was the person he was now at that time. Maybe he could've done something. Maybe things didn't have to end this way for both him, his mother, Tifa, and everyone else at Nibelheim. If only he had the power he had now, then it could've been different. If only—

"Hey."

Cloud lightly gasped when Aerith's feathery touch on his arm across the small, round table shocked him out of his quickly darkening thoughts. Her gentle gaze eased his mind as he felt the tight muscles of his jaw slacken.

Aerith slowly shook her head, green eyes trained on his mako ones. "Don't think whatever you're thinking." Before he could interject about how she could ever know what he thought about, she continued, "I know that look very well. It's not good to ponder about the past like that. After all," she gestured with a fleeting glance at the tea and the fruits, "That's not why we're here, right?"

Looking away, Cloud withdraw his arm from her reach. Then, he looked back to meet her warm gaze.

"Right."

Aerith fiddled with her knife a little bit, catching Cloud's concern, before she placed it back onto the plate of uncut fruit and stood up. She circled around the table until she placed herself in front of him. He looked up at her quizzically before she reached out an outstretched palm.

"Come. I want to show you something," said Aerith.

Cloud blinked. Her tone changed again, making his already-lacking ability to detect emotions go completely haywire as he tried to figure out what she was thinking about this time. Wordlessly, he took her hand, and she pulled him up. She didn't let go as she led him up the stairs of her large home, step by step as their shoes clambered quietly against the wood.

Cloud could feel her hand tighten in his as she opened the door to her room, which looked different when lit by sunlight.

"I was debating about whether or not I should show you, but I want to know you, Cloud."

"… Know me?"

Aerith brought up their interlocked hands so that she could clasp his between her own two. "I want to know the real you. The you that you don't show to anybody. The you that I hope, one day, you _will_ show to somebody."

Cloud had a hard time deciding whether she meant that as a Cetra or as Aerith Gainsborough. He didn't have the time to make a solid decision when she continued to explain. "I want to learn more about you, but in order to do that, I feel like… you should know more about me? So that you don't feel too exposed about yourself, hm?"

"Um, if you're comfortable," he inelegantly said as a response. Aerith chuckled at his lack of sophistication with words before she let him go and signaled for him to sit on her bed. She rummaged through the drawers of her desk, and he noticed the photo-less picture frame again. Cloud wasn't an attentive person in nature, but there was something with the way it just stuck out so plainly in the middle of all her cute stationary that drew his attention.

"Ah, here it is! Ugh, I haven't taken it out in so long." Aerith let out a huff similar to satisfaction when she pulled out a large notebook that was stuffed and overfilled with additional papers that were either taped inside or simply folded and wedged between the flimsy, yellowing pages. She swiped her hands to rid them of any old dust before she took it back into her hands.

Skipping over to her bed, she plopped down right next to Cloud, rubbing her side against his in her descent. Of course, he naturally slid over to the side for a bit more space, wondering again if she did it on purpose or not.

"What is it?"

Aerith put the book so that it could sit between them on their thighs. When Cloud read the title of the notebook, he felt like the wind was knocked out of him as his eyes burned holes at the name of the owner written in messy, cursive handwriting on the front of the cover.

"That son of a bit—Aerith, what is this?" His eyes instantly hardened as they whipped over to Aerith, who simply stared at the notebook with a rueful smile. She looked too calm and elegant, and it honestly scared him.

"Seems like you know this name," Aerith sighed as she ran a finger across the handwriting. "I won't ask you how you know, but Cloud."

"What?"

"Your eyes are scary, and it's not because of the mako."

"Oh." Cloud looked away. He felt it, his own eyes that looked at her with an intensity that revived the feelings from the past. He never felt so much hate since his days during the rebellion just by looking at a name, and he felt almost ashamed that he let Aerith see it so easily. When he calmed himself down and rid himself of the initial surge of anger, he turned to face her again, unable to keep the emotions away from his face like he usually did.

"I received this from an unknown sender a year after Shinra fell. I don't know why they thought it was a good idea to let me have this, but," Aerith shrugged, "I guess they thought it would act as a photobook for me. I haven't opened it since I got it. Kept tucked and away in my desk."

"W-why are you showing me this?" Cloud stuttered, and he rarely stuttered. "Aerith, I don't—"

"When you want to get to know someone, isn't it easier when you let that someone know things about you first?" Aerith giggled, sounding completely normal as she rubbed the front of the cover softly—almost affectionately. "I'm okay, really! Here," Aerith took the notebook in her hands and slapped it fully onto Cloud's lap. "Read ahead!"

His frown couldn't etch in any deeper with the way Aerith gave him permission to delve into something so private and personal of hers as if she was handing out a slice of pie. When she gave her permission once more with a single nod towards the notebook, Cloud felt the front with a hand before he leafed open the first page with a shaky finger.

Cloud didn't know how long they sat there. It shouldn't have been long since he couldn't possibly read every line and every page without spending the night at her place, but it felt like eternity as his eyes skimmed over as many words as he could while his conscious let it all sink in. He was only halfway through the notebook when he harshly closed it and threw it over to the side of her bed, unable to take in anymore. Some folded pages flew out of the notebook from his violent toss, but he couldn't care less as he shut his eyes closed and placed a hand on his forehead.

"Maybe I shouldn't have showed you if I knew you were gonna act like this," Aerith whispered softly, hand soothingly running down his back in slow, gentle motions. "I hope you're not pitying me. Look! I'm strong and independent! You've seen me kill monsters on my way to Sector 7. These arms might look thin, but—Cloud?"

Cloud grabbed onto her elbow, making her words disappear in her mouth as he gripped it tightly, but not too tight to cause pain. He looked at her, shock and anger mixed with sadness and worry swirling in his eyes like waves of a tempestuous tsunami. An uneven breath escaped his slightly parted lips as their eyes communicated through the heavy silence. He was too affected by the newfound knowledge of her past to form words, but her green, sparkly eyes conveyed understanding and kindness, waiting patiently for him to collect himself and say something.

How was she able to stay so happy?

Instead of speaking, Cloud had other plans as he placed a hand behind her neck while his other pulled on her arm to bring her closer, instantly engulfing her in his comfortable warmth, his alluring scent, and his strong arms. He could hear Aerith's soft and audible gasp as her chin bumped onto his shoulder while her hands splayed themselves against his firm chest. Cloud didn't say anything as he held her, grip tight as if she could've disappeared any moment from his reach.

"Cloud," whispered Aerith, voice hoarse at the suddenness of his actions. He held her so close to the point where she could've felt his heartbeat through her chest if she tried. Moving her hands from his chest to his back, she returned his embrace just as tightly as she snuggled her face into the crook of his neck to relish the sense of security he always successfully gave her.

Unlike last time, the two didn't say a single word as they remained still, listening to the distant chirps of the birds outside her window and their slow, steady breaths that sounded so loud in her serene, quiet room. Cloud buried his face into her luscious hair, wondering how everything about her felt so sweet and tranquil when details about her horrible past disclosed themselves so blatantly in the cursed notebook. He could feel her chest pressed against his, soft as it rose and fell with every breath she took while his own breathing struggled to remain smooth and controlled.

"Cloud," and he felt her shift her legs a bit so that she could be in a more comfortable position.

"Hm?"

"… nothing." Aerith hid her face into his shoulder, tickling his neck with some of her loose hair from her braid. He took another deep breath in with her, letting everything, from the feel of her skin, the texture of her clothes, and her tantalizing scent, drown his senses.

"What is it?" Cloud hummed, feeling quite at peace with their closeness as warmth bubbled in his stomach. It was ironic since it was just two days ago when his mind was going crazy over such a simple act of endearment. Perhaps it was the feeling of empathy that he felt for her that calmed his nerves, or the way he gradually grew used to her touches. Either way, none of it mattered as he stayed there with her, letting her know that she could always find a person within him to depend on.

"You're not pitying me, right?" mumbled Aerith. The vibration of her words into his shoulder made a shiver travel down his spine. "I don't like it when people pity me."

"The only people I ever pitied were Shinra's hound dogs," Cloud replied roughly. "But there wasn't much to pity once your humanity is reduced to mere ashes."

"Seems like you've seen a lot of things."

"A story for another time."

"Is it a story you'll tell me?"

"… When the time comes."

"I'll wait."

"Mhm."

"… Cloud?"

"Yes?"

Pause. "You're really nice."

"That's a first."

"I'm serious. And you're really gentle."

"That's a first too."

"Give yourself some credit, hm?"

"…"

Cloud lost all sense of time, and he could literally feel her smile on his shoulder. She started to sway them in silly side-to-side motions, dragging Cloud along with her and her antics. He didn't know how long she was going to cling onto him because he tried to let go, but her arms remained stuck around him. It was only when the sound of the door opening downstairs and feet stomping on wooden floors that pulled the both of them back to reality. She slowly let go of him, her hands lingering on his own before they completely returned to her side.

"Aerith! You home?" Elmyra's muffled voice called from downstairs. It was obviously just a polite inquiry—there was no way she didn't catch the huge sword laying by the kitchen.

"Seems like your mom's home," Cloud said, clearing his throat in an attempt to ward the still air in her room. He scooted away from her just like in the beginning, as if doing so could make it seem like nothing had transpired. Aerith simply smiled at him before she stood up to answer her mother's call.

"Yeah! Coming!" Then she turned to look at him, cheeks blushing as she stuck out a tongue at him. "I think you should compose yourself a little bit before you head down."

"What?"

"You're red."

He instantly covered his face with a hand as he glared at her through the slits between his fingers. "Am not. Let's go."

When the two went back downstairs, they had expected to see Elmyra's suspicious look, but instead, not only did they see that, but they also saw three other pairs of eyes along with hers.

"Tifa?" Cloud voiced out. Tifa blinked at him before giving him a small smile. Then he looked at the two people by her side: Jessie and Barret.

"It seems like we have visitors," Elmyra stated. The look that she gave to Aerith was obvious as she frowned at Cloud. Aerith clapped her hands together as she descended down the stairs, showing her excitement at seeing all the unexpected visitors by her door. Cloud didn't know if she was faking it or not as he followed her down.

"When was the last time we had visitors? Stay for lunch!" Then she checked the time on the clock hung on the wall of the kitchen. "Or, well, a really early dinner. Is that okay, Mom?"

"That's fine. It's not every day I get to see your friends," Elmyra nodded before she unloaded all the bags of groceries she had in her hand.

"Oh no, we possibly can't—"

"This is as thanks for inviting me last time, Tifa," Aerith interrupted her, grinning as she went over to the raven-haired and hooked a friendly arm on her elbow. "My mom's cooking is one to compete with yours too, might I add."

Tifa let out a sound as Aerith dragged her over to the bigger table and sat her down. She did the same to Barret, and even Jessie, as they allowed themselves to be moved and placed by the Cetra. Cloud, who didn't know how to take in the odd situation to see his friends in Aerith's house of all places, had to be led by the elbow as well as Aerith sat him next to Tifa. Once he sat down, Tifa gave him a raised brow, which he returned with a shrug.

"So, what made you think that we'd be at her place?" Cloud murmured privately to Tifa. Tifa brought her head closer to humor him and his secrecy.

"When you're searching for someone, shouldn't you go to the place of dwelling first?"

"Well, when you're wanting to meet someone, shouldn't you _call_ them first to let them know?"

Tifa took out her phone, fiddled with it a little bit, and opened the location finder app. She shook it in front his face, his blinking dot indicating his very location. "Technology," she whispered playfully.

Right. He had shared his location with her before for her sake years ago when he went out on long-travel merc jobs. Frowning in disapproval, he shook his head. "You're abusing it."

"It's for a good cause?"

His eyebrows signaled towards Jessie. "You mean this? Whose bright idea was this?"

"Yours truly."

"Of course."

Cloud fully leaned against his chair as he folded his arms across his chest like always, eyes piercing through Jessie as she busied herself by chit-chatting with Barret. It was obvious that she was not feeling comfortable underneath his gaze nor Aerith's home. However, he decided not to question so that he could see how things unfold for himself.

"No bodyguarding today?" Tifa continued to converse with him as Aerith helped Elmyra cook and prepare. "Unless the job applies in her own home."

"Stop with the teasing," Cloud narrowed his eyes at Tifa. It was rare when Tifa teased him like this, and when she did, she was too good at it. "Thanks to big mouth over here," he made sure Jessie didn't hear him say that, "She's been feeling a bit blue."

"Well, that's to be expected."

"Yeah, so instead, she just wanted to, uh, help me out. With my headaches."

"Ah… I see." Tifa clasped her hands together in her lap. "Has it been working?"

"Not sure. But we'll find out soon enough."

A brief paused passed between them before Tifa suddenly shook her head to herself, earning Cloud's slight concern. "Something the matter?"

"No, of course not. It's just…"

"Just?"

Tifa turned her face up to smile at him. "If you need anything, let me know. I'm always here for you."

Cloud blinked. He already knew that, but he wasn't quite sure why she kept saying it as if he needed to be reminded from time to time or else he would forget. Cloud gave a single nod at her. "Of course, I know."

His conversation with Aerith in Sector 4 the other day started to ring in his mind, and he started to feel awkward remembering it. Heart-to-heart talk with Tifa? Was that really necessary? It was Tifa's turn to look at him oddly, noticing the change in his demeanor.

"And what's wrong with you?"

"Nothing. Just thinking about stuff."

He hadn't noticed Tifa's hesitation at his words before she nodded to herself and suddenly grasped onto his elbow underneath the table, spooking him a bit.

"Tell me, hm? When you're free? I want to know," Tifa urged, causing his eyes to widen slightly at her forwardness. She usually wasn't like this, and he wondered what made her suddenly pushy about knowing his thoughts. He reluctantly started to accept that maybe Aerith's suggestion was the right one to follow as he patted Tifa's hand on him. Because of that, he found himself nodding at Tifa in affirmation.

"Sure."

"Wait. Really, really?"

Tifa gained everyone's attention with the way her voice got louder and more excited. Cloud didn't know what was getting her all jumpy—it was just a conversation they were going to have in the future. Unbeknownst to him, his willingness to just have a simple talk with her greatly made her day and week already. "That's great, Cloud. Okay. Yeah. Anytime." The happiness in Tifa's face was evident as she started to hum a bit as they waited for their welcoming meals, really spooking Cloud out.

Near the sink, Aerith looked at the two them with a knowing smile before she returned to chopping things.

It wasn't until everyone, minus Elmyra, who decided to let the young ones have their meal together without her presence and went back upstairs, was seated when the atmosphere took a turn towards the awkward. Aerith sat herself between Tifa and Barret, who looked at his bowl of food in appreciation. It was just stir-fried rice with a bunch of vegetables and eggs, but nothing beat a homecooked meal.

"Thank you, Aerith, I'll gladly dig in," Barret's deep voice vibrated across the table as he picked up the fork with his large hands. Cloud raised an eyebrow at the man in amusement.

"First time I've ever heard you say somewhat-eloquent words," Cloud scoffed, a smirk playing at his lips. Barret's eyes instantly hardened as he zoomed them onto the blond who never failed to tickle him at the wrong spots whenever he could.

"Shut up, you asshole, wait until I blast you off to the skies."

" _There_ we go."

"Something about you two I should know about?" Aerith mused, noticing the egoistic smirk that played at the usual stoic's lips. "I don't hear much about you, Barret, from Cloud."

"Probably because he knows my ears can sense whenever he's shit-talking me from afar," Barret growled. "Now let me rip that condescending smile off your face, you brat."

"Barret used to accompany Cloud whenever he had a tough job in his hands," Tifa explained to Aerith with mirth in her voice. "They nearly killed each other on the journey since Barret was _not_ fond of him at the time."

"And I _still_ am not."

"That's what he always says, but these two have really soft spots for each other," Tifa half-whispered to Aerith for the effect. "You'll never find a bond like theirs around here."

"Don't feed her lies," Cloud grunted. "Barret's got a lot of work ahead of him if he wants to gain my favor for anything."

"I should be the one saying that, Spikey."

Aerith laughed at their banter as scooped up some of her rice into a spoon. "Okay, I get it, I get it. Let's eat!"

During the entire conversation, Jessie hadn't said anything as she slowly ate the tasty food made so kindly for her. Everyone had noticed her silence, but no one tried to question it lest things turned for the worse. Cloud glanced between Aerith and Jessie, noticing how the both of them never even gave each other a look. It was odd since Aerith seemed to be the type of person to always charge head first, but he figured that even she had her limits with these types of situations. It wasn't until Tifa finally spoke up when the façade of a peaceful dinner was broken.

"Sorry for just barging into your home uninvited," she apologized to Aerith, earning a wave of hand from Aerith as she tried to signal that it was okay.

"It's fine. Elmyra and I rarely have visitors, so I'm pretty sure you guys saved me some trouble from explaining to her how I, indeed, have some sort of social life," Aerith chuckled.

"We won't beat around the bush," and Tifa nudged Jessie by the foot from underneath the table. Cloud saw the whole thing and simply rolled his eyes, unamused by this whole act. "We came for a reason. Or, rather, _someone_ came for a reason."

Aerith automatically switched her gaze from Tifa to Jessie, who settled down her spoon and sighed. For the first time since they sat down to eat, the two women locked eyes with each other. Jessie's eyebrows were slightly bent while Aerith's were slightly raised in curiosity. Cloud nudged Tifa's elbow with his own discreetly under the table, questioning the authenticity of this whole set-up since he was poorly unconvinced, and she simply responded with her own nudge.

"Well?" Aerith asked with a small smile. Her tone was not biting. Rather, it was encouraging as Jessie let out another sigh.

"I ran my mouth the other day," Jessie stated, tone even. "It was wrong of me to just say that stuff when I barely know you."

"…" Aerith didn't say anything because she knew that Jessie still had other things to say. A small, pursed-lip smile graced her mouth as she remained patient.

"I really thought about it after Buster Boy blew it at me that day." At this, Aerith shot Cloud a look for not listening to her, which he returned with a feigned look of innocence. "And so, I realized maybe I shouldn't have delivered what I said the way I did. However."

"Yes?"

"I'm still not convinced," Jessie truthfully declared. "I'm still not convinced that you're different from what I imagine you to be."

"So, is that why you're here? To find out?" Aerith finished for her.

"Well, yeah, or else I have nothing to apologize for."

"Jessie," Tifa said between her teeth warningly.

Jessie simply rolled her eyes. "What? Better to say the truth out loud than to be passive aggressive, _right?_ " She glared at Cloud when she said this, earning a sigh from him.

"That's fine by me," Aerith laughed, seemingly unaffected by Jessie's impudent half-apology. Cloud was about to speak up because Aerith had no obligation to prove herself towards a person who had no right to demand an explanation, especially when said person was bad-mannered about it, but before he could, Aerith stood up from the table and pushed her chair in. "I think I have just the thing for you," and she went to go up the stairs.

It took Cloud two seconds to realize what she was about to show Jessie and was quick to get on his feet to go after her, leaving the three at the table confused about what was going on. He caught onto her wrist when she was halfway up the stairs.

"Aerith, don't tell me you're going to let her read that?" It was more of a command than a question. He let her go and placed his hands on his hips, questioning her greatly with his stance. "You don't need to do that for the likes of Jessie."

"What's wrong with showing it to her?" Aerith asked. He knew by the tone of her voice that the answer to her question wasn't for her, but for him, yet he continued to speak anyways.

"Isn't it a stretch to just show something like that to her?" he argued. "You don't need to expose your past just to prove her wrong."

"But I'm not trying to prove her wrong in anything."

"What?"

At this point, Cloud was beyond lost. Aerith simply shook her head, her expression stern as she locked eyes with him.

"If she truly didn't care about me, she would've just left me alone and continued to shun me," Aerith explained, seeing the confusion swimming in his eyes. "But she traveled all this way, personally to my house, to find out more about me—to know more about me—before she forms a final judgment. Don't you think that's a very brave act on her part? The least I can do is show her what she came here for."

"How can you still think so innocently when she spoke to you that way? Jessie's a good person, don't get me wrong, but there are some things you shouldn't let slide so easily. Besides, something like that notebook isn't—"

"Cloud."

"Aerith, I don't underst—"

"Cloud, I'm not afraid of my past."

His mouth snapped shut before his jaw hardened the moment her words sank in him like a lead ball. His eyebrows moved in various motions as he tried to think of something to say—anything to say—as a counter, but he couldn't.

He just couldn't.

Cloud stared at her in puzzlement as she gave him a small smile before she turned back to head to her room.

His feet remained glued to the steps of the stairs as his eyes watched her disappear for a moment before reappearing with the notebook he just read two hours ago in her hands. Before she passed by him, she gave his shoulder a comforting rub, leaving him to stand alone on the steps for a little bit longer.

_I'm not afraid of my past._

Cloud inhaled a quivering breath, stared at his shaky palm, and fisted his gloved hand before turning around to follow her back downstairs in solemn.

Tifa was the only one who noticed his changed look when he emerged from the stairs, and the only thing she really could do at a time like this was watch him sadly.

"Here you go!" Aerith handed Jessie the notebook in the same manner she did to Cloud just earlier. Cloud sat back down in his chair, mind barely with them as he silently watched Jessie take the fragile notebook in her hands with hesitance.

"What is this?" she asked, not recognizing the name on the front cover of the notebook at all.

"I was born topside," Aerith reminded them. Then, she smiled sadly as she looked at the notebook. "And this documents the first thirteen years of my life when I was there."

Jessie did not keep up her strong front anymore as she held onto the notebook, now drenched with the feeling that she had been wrong about Aerith. She didn't need to open the notebook to confirm—the atmosphere seemed to automatically darken the moment her gloved hands touched the ancient artifact that yellowed from old age. However, Aerith was encouraging as she beckoned her to take a glimpse into it with a hand.

Jessie laid the notebook on the table, and everyone sat with her as they watched her flip to the first page.

One minute in, and the frown on Jessie's forehead was evident.

Ten minutes in, and her hand went up to cover her mouth in shock.

Twenty minutes in, and her eyes raced the never-ending lines of the sickening book as her fingers began to shake with every page they turned.

Twenty-five minutes in, and her hands slammed the notebook shut as she willed herself not to throw it against the wall and rip it to shreds.

Twenty-six minutes in, and Aerith came over to hug the tear-ridden woman as she apologized over and over again like a forgotten tune spinning on an old record.

While Tifa and Barret went over to check if Jessie was okay, Cloud could only reach a hand across the table to bring over the notebook so that it could be under his eyes once more. His eyes burned holes as he stared at the hated name that etched itself so fancily across the cover.

_Hojo._

_**PROJECT: PROMISE LAND (OBSERVATIONS)** _

_February 7th, XX01_

_Fullblood Cetra (I) conceives half-breed child (A) with unknown human father; new test subject for further investigation_

_withdraw blood samples from A daily, 2x day/night; incubate cells in mako for 12 hrs a day for two weeks_

_isolate I from A 15 hrs a day for three months in order to test for psychological effects on abilities to manipulate mako -_ _"communication with the Planet" -_ _open path to promise land?_

_June XX05_

_shave A's and I's head for hair samples; analyze for composition; samples of hair attached in next page_

_RESULTS: half-blood collagen 25% lower than fullblood; cells of regeneration present in halfblood in similar amounts as fullblood_ _\- conduct "healing experiments"_

_July XX05_

_Break A's and I's leg bone (tibia); isolate and record observations every 6 hrs, x-ray every 12 hrs; duration = three weeks_

_Note: A's bone had to be healed and broken again with less force since damage was too great for half-blood to heal on own_

_Regeneration of bone tissue reduced by 25% in A compared to I_

_January XX07_

_Inject fever inducer in both A and I; collect blood samples every three hours for nine hours for white blood cell content analysis_

_Half-blood immune system weaker than fullblood by 2x, but stronger than fullblood human by 1.5x based on cell count_

_Shower half-blood in mako;_ _will psychological trauma be more than fullblood? Hypothesis: will be severe, but weak ability to interact with mako will lessen mind disruption_

_Inconclusive: mako exposure too much for half-blood child (instant black out when exposed to mako); will repeat experiment when A is older_

_March XX10_

_Full-body diagram of body of A (pictures attached below next to I)_

_Breast and hip development earlier than average human girl_

_Skin: soft and smooth like I's_

_***Study reproductive system asap_

_October XX11_

_A is withdrawn; too traumatized for anymore experiments,_ _wait until older; give enrichment (crayons, paint, toys)_

_Continue experiments with I in_ _**PROJECT: ANCIENT** _

_May XX13_

_A's ovaries developed; schedule removal for eggs, as well as I's_

_Potential SOLDIER candidates and surrogate mothers to be brought up during meeting for reproduction_

_**PROJECT: JENOVA +** _ _**PROJECT: PROMISE LAND** _

_Hypothesis: Ancient + SOLDIER child may lead to stronger connection to promise land since abilities will be enhanced_

_December XX14_

_A escaped; father = Gast Faremis *killed*_

_I's body found near train station *DEAD*_

_Proceed with organ extraction, skin samples, complete blood withdrawal, preservation of body parts (priority: ovaries, eyes, heart, brain); more in_ _**PROJECT: ANCIENT** _

_***_ _**PROJECT: PROMISE LAND** _ _postponed until A is retrieved and captured again***_


	11. Chapter 11

~Approximately 5 years ago, nearing the defeat of Shinra~

_Cloud pierced the last makonoid that jumped at him right through the chest, flinging the body away with a sweep as if just displacing meat off a skewer. The blood that slicked across his arm didn't faze him as his boots thundered across the floors of the repulsive laboratory in Shinra headquarters. Nothing was left—only blood, remains, and the sound of cogs rolling in the death machines of the lab as the swordsman stepped over all of it in rigid calmness. His mako eyes burned with fury and hate as they targeted only one single entity left in the entire area._

_"Wait, wait! Look, you don't need to kill some old guy like me," the wretched man pleaded as he crawled onto his knees and scrambled away, lab coat trailing pathetically behind him against the bloodied floors. "Name your price—I can give it to you! Anything, I can make it possible. I hold more power than you know within Shinra!"_

_Cloud stepped on the tail of the lab coat, catching the professor underneath his foot. With another step, he swung the side of his foot at the man's head, knocking him over with a sickening crack of his skull. He flipped him over roughly with the flat of his sword before smashing a foot against his chest, causing the professor to wheeze for lost air._

_"There's going to be no more Shinra for you to operate in once my comrades kill that disgusting son of a bitch Rufus just upstairs," Cloud sneered at the body beneath his foot as he kneeled to spit in his face. "Besides," and Cloud's expression got replaced with a content and dark smile, "Nothing beats the prize I have in front of me right now, Hojo. How many years I've waited for this blissful moment."_

_"I am but a researcher around these parts," Hojo continued to beg for his life as he clutched at Cloud's ankle in a desperate attempt to ease the bone-crushing force of his foot. "Your hate lies elsewhere, don't you think? I am just a mere dog around here! Why would a first-class SOLDIER have anything—wait a moment."_

_Cloud's icy eyes didn't waver as Hojo took off his cracked glasses to peer closer at his face. When the crazed professor suddenly started to cackle, Cloud remained unmoved as the shadow of his face only darkened. The professor's grip on his ankle released as he extended his arms out on the floors in what seemed like epiphany as the only air left in his lungs were used up to fuel his echoing laughter._

_"You! I recognize you! You're no SOLDIER—a failed experiment of mine!" Hojo guffawed. "So that's why you're here to behead me—for pathetic revenge!"_

_Cloud stood up and gave his chest a stomp, cracking a few ribs in the process. That didn't stop the madman's laugh as blood started to cough up. "You'll see what's pathetic soon enough once I take your head and drop it from the highest floor of this damn place."_

_"So, you survived, huh? You survived those four years just to see my death?" Hojo turned his head to the side so that he could spit out the blood collecting at his throat before he grinned, teeth gleaming in a nauseating red. "You could've just lived your life happily with those enhanced abilities of yours, thanks to yours truly, but you instead chose to hunt me down like the dog you are? Haha! I'm sure your first-class SOLDIER friend didn't die for you to be reduced to this pitiful sta—oof!"_

_Cloud fumed red as he stood up and sent a kick at the professor's face once more, instantly shutting him up. He didn't allow him to rest as the blond kneeled down beside his limp body and grabbed at his collar, hauling him up so that he could shake out every last bit of arrogance the man still had left in him._

_"You are the dirtiest out of us 'dogs,'" Cloud barked in his face, his throat hoarse and scratchy as he spoke with a heaving chest. His eyes were nearly deranged as he felt the pulsing of his facial muscles, clouted with all the detest he held for the man who was just one step away from death's door—the man who held responsibility for so many innocent lives. "The filthiest piece of shit to have ever walked this Planet, and you still have the audacity to suggest we have a debt to pay you? Go to fucking hell."_

_"You only made it this far because of me! This power," and Hojo used all the strength left in his body to clasp at the hands that balled the collar of his shirt, "This immense power! How many people did you have to kill to make it here to meet your creator? The very being who gifted you with such a beautiful body!"_

_"Shut up."_

_"Don't act like you're a hero, boy. Once you kill me, do you really think you can live a normal life after this?"_

_"Shut up."_

_"All those lives you had to slaughter just so that you could see me at my death bed. Tell me, were all those lives worth the sacrifice for my measly one? It seems like you didn't think this through! The mako in your eyes will forever be a record of this day and all the days before—to haunt you no matter where you are and where you—!"_

_"I said, shut up!"_

_The flurry of emotions that roared through every single drop of blood in his body blinded him. In one moment, he was holding the professor at the neck, and in the next, his sword had already impaled itself through the professor's chest, instantly cutting off any last words he had for the blond. His boots seeped in blood as it pooled slowly, and if Cloud didn't step away from it, he feared it might've swallowed him whole._

_For four whole years, he endured hardship after hardship, battle after battle, just for this moment—to kill the man who basically stole everything away from him through all of his experimentations. For four years, he restlessly toiled with the rest of SOLDIER in the efforts to defeat this cursed regime, and now, as he stood there reaping in his supposed reward…_

_He felt empty. Nothing._

_Was this what he was supposed to feel like?_

_"Cloud! I've been searching everywhere for you!"_

_He tore his sword out of Hojo's corpse as he turned to face Kunsel, who ran up excitedly to him with his weapon sheathed. It must've been over—the coup d'état._

_"Good news?"_

_"Yes! We lost many men, but Rufas Shinra is down, and the rest have admitted to complete surrender. It's over, Cloud, it's over!" Kunsel then noticed all the debris around him, only to realize it as dead bodies and destroyed machinery. His smile faltered as he fully took in Cloud's appearance. Bloodied sword, bloodied clothes, and bloodied eyes. "Cloud…"_

_"Great. So, who's going to take over this place now?"_

_"People from AVALANCHE. They already have a group of people who have appealed relentlessly to the other sectors. News will be broadcasted soon. I'm sure there's going to be riots and protests over the sudden news of Shinra's defeat, but our job's done here—the rest is for the politicians to deal with."_

_Cloud didn't meet Kunsel's eyes as he stared blankly at his surrounding environment. Was it really over? It didn't feel like it. The burdensome sword he had to carry for four years—was he suddenly going to stop using it? Was there a place he had to even return to? Nibelheim? No, nothing was there left for him; everyone he loved and knew was gone._

_Cloud let out a heavy, shaky breath._

_What now?_

_"Cloud… Thank you for all your hard work. We'll all remember everything you've done to make this happen," Kunsel said uneasily, and it made Cloud chuckle darkly._

_"Remember me? No one would give a damn if they found my dead body inside here. Not a fellow SOLDIER, right?"_

_Kunsel shifted at his feet, not sure how to reply to that. However, he still had some stuff to say. "You know, even though you might've not gotten along with a lot of people here, that doesn't mean we don't recognize how much your leadership got us this far. Zack… would've been proud."_

_"Zack? You fucking think so?" Cloud kicked Hojo's dead body, causing it to roll over the floors for two rotations. Kunsel winced as he watched the limp body splash in its own blood. "Zack would probably look at all this and say, 'was all of this really necessary?'"_

_"Cloud…" Kunsel took a step forward to the cold man and grabbed onto his arm. He finally met his eyes. "Cloud, it's over. And you did a good job. Even if we had to murder to reach it this far, this place is going to be a better place where innocent lives won't have to be taken anymore. After this, I want you to… settle down. Live life like you're supposed to at your age. You're only eighteen, right? You're so young—there are a lot of things out there still waiting for you. Don't look like you have nowhere else to go."_

_"…"_

_But he had no place to go, no more purpose._

_**Do you mind… saying hi to her for me? And that… I got her eighty-ninth letter. That'd be great.** _

_"Wait a minute, Kunsel," Cloud said, a frown forming on his forehead as he suddenly started to recall Zack's last words. "You're one of Zack's close friends, right?"_

_Kunsel, who didn't understand the sudden question, slowly nodded. "Why, yes."_

_"Do you happen to know who Zack's… lover is?"_

_Cloud didn't notice how Kunsel remained quiet for a suspicious second before he managed a small smile and shook his head. "Uh, no, I don't. But why?"_

_"I'm going to find her. And deliver his last words to her."_

_Kunsel widened his eyes. "No, Cloud, you don't need to do that. Cloud, please, just…" he grasped onto Cloud's hands tightly, "Give yourself a break. Rest up. Everything is over, and Zack probably knows how much you've done. Just live the rest of your life without looking back."_

_Cloud roughly shrugged off Kunsel's arm and shook his head. "I have nothing left, Kunsel, so there's no point. The least I could do… is let her know how he died and his last words to her."_

_Plus, he had no other purpose anymore, so what else would make him continue to live?_

_"Cloud…"_

_Cloud took out his flip-phone and waved it in his hand. "You know my number. I won't change it. If anything happens and you need me, let me know."_

_"Don't expect a call from me because I want you to live normally from now on."_

_Cloud simply scoffed before he walked past Kunsel to head out of the cursed place. That was the last time he saw Kunsel._

_~.~.~_

_With Shinra defeated, he had one more thing left to do. And so, Cloud embarked to go on his journey as a messenger, living day by day with the large amount of savings he had left from the past four years of battling through inns and hotels and sometimes even the floors as he searched around for any type of info that would give him any clue on who_ _**she** _ _could be._

_His journey experienced an abrupt stop when he coincidentally met Tifa in Sector 7 of Midgar. He felt comfortable—almost at home—as she warmed him up to the place despite her initial fear of him. Her unexpected presence in his life brought him a feeling of belongingness he hadn't felt since Nibelheim, and he almost fell trap to just staying with her, living the rest of his life with her in Sector 7 happily and freely._

_However, the hands of the past kept grasping at his ankles, pulling him back and reminding him of what he had done, reminding him of the scarring guilt that imprinted itself in his very blood._

_They reminded him that he could never live the normal life that he envisioned._

_So, despite the guilty pleasure and homeliness that Tifa offered to him, he couldn't stay. He couldn't stay in Sector 7 forever, knowing he had one last obligation to fulfill._

_**Become a mercenary.** _

_"You said you needed connections to find what you're looking for?" Tifa asked as she got out of his bed to get dressed. "Then please, consider being a mercenary. It's better than just wandering around the Planet blindly. Build connections to make what you're seeking for more visible."_

_"Tifa, I don't kn—"_

_"Cloud," Tifa climbed onto his bed on her knees as she reached out to grasp his hands in hers. "Please. I don't want you to go through dangerous things, not knowing when you'll come back. Don't… leave me again. Hm?"_

_And so, under Tifa's plea, Cloud became a mercenary, accepting any job that Tifa had for him. For nearly five years, he did job after job, asking and probing for anything that could lead him to Zack. The closest he ever got was meeting his parents in Gongaga, who tearfully listened to his story about how their son died fighting for an honorable cause._

_Despite their forgiveness, Cloud couldn't learn how to forgive and forget for himself._

_Cloud continued to accept all long-travel jobs for the next five years until, eventually, he had to accept the hard, undeniable truth that he probably would never be able to find this mysterious lover of Zack's. He had traveled everywhere where the map could take him, and yet nothing ever popped up. Zack's parents didn't even know he had a lover, so all hope was lost once he heard those words from their very own mouths._

_Seeing no progress, Cloud took less long-travel jobs and decided to take on more of the ones within Midgar only. Not having a stable job, however, started to show their effects as Cloud's savings from his service during the rebellion began to dwindle to pitiful sums._

_This wasn't a problem, for Tifa always seemed to find solutions for him._

_"Hey, Cloud. I know you probably thought about actually settling down at some point, so… I have a job for you."_

_"Settle down? What is it?" he asked, sipping on the drink she specially made for him after a long day of carrying boxes. Tifa sat herself across from him on the counter, smiling as she rested her face between two fists._

_"How do you feel about bodyguarding?"_

_"… Excuse me?"_

_"The reputation that you've been building for the last five years as a merc has definitely paid off. Bodyguarding the last Cetra on the Planet—I think this could be your biggest one yet. What do you think?" Tifa grinned._

_Cloud simply frowned, subconsciously swirling his drink. Bodyguarding? Was Tifa running out of jobs for him? "… The last Cetra? You mean that extinct race?"_

_"Not extinct yet," Tifa corrected. "I didn't know we had one left, but there you have it—there is. And she needs a bodyguard since her mother feels quite unsafe with her going around so recklessly even with Shinra down."_

_"I don't babysit," Cloud scoffed. He thought that was all he had to do to turn down Tifa's offer—that was how things usually rolled. If he didn't like it, then he would simply say no, and Tifa would let it go and go find him another job. However, things were different this time as Tifa shook her head and continued to push with the idea._

_"It's really good pay. Higher than the usual. And it's a long-term job too."_

_"Not digging the idea of following some girl around."_

_"Cloud, please."_

_Cloud took this moment to look up to Tifa's eyes, and he was quite surprised to see them begging him to take the job. He frowned at her, not understanding why she was so insistent about this one. "Care to explain why you want me on this job?"_

_"I just… want you to take it easy. Enough with the hard labor and long-travel jobs. A job like this comes only once in a millennium. You've been overworking yourself way too much since you came into Sector 7. Is it too much to ask you to relax?"_

_"…"_

_"Loosen up a bit. I'm sure you'll enjoy this job; I heard that she's quite a nice girl. You won't be babysitting. I promise."_

_"…"_

_"Please? For me? And for yourself."_

_Cloud downed the rest of his drink before he let out a long and lengthy sigh._

_"Fine. For you." He didn't repeat the last part._

_Three weeks later, and Cloud Strife met Aerith Gainsborough._

~.~.~

"You know, I was expecting for the four of you to come back all made up and happy, but why the hell do you guys look sadder?"

"Shut up. Tifa, hit me up with something good." Jessie automatically pushed past Biggs' shoulder and sat herself immediately at the counter. "Something that'll just knock me out."

Cloud, with hands on hips, didn't know whether or not he should go home and sleep it off or stay for the brooding aftermath. Barret's expression wasn't any better than Jessie's as he slowly clunked his way into the bar. Tifa didn't hesitate to go behind the counter and fix up Jessie a drink.

"Pretty Boy, I bet you were just laughing at me the whole time, weren't you?"

"Not necessarily." Cloud put down his sword and joined Jessie and Barret for their late-night drink. Perhaps he needed something in his system too instead of sleep.

Jessie plucked the pink rose out of the flower vase that Tifa got specially to receive Aerith's flowers and twirled it in her hands. A petal accidentally fell off, and Jessie put the flower back and focused her fingers on the petal instead. It was soft and smooth, with no signs of wilting yet.

"Is that why you blasted at me? Because you knew?"

"… Not necessarily."

"Now's not the time to be a man of few words," Jessie rolled her eyes. Tifa poured all three of them a drink as Biggs and Wedge sat by the side, perturbed by the somberness that encompassed the four of them. Feeling like they were missing out on something important, the two of them excused themselves for the night; it didn't seem like the atmosphere to question what had happened at the Cetra's home.

"I was just tagging along to make sure you two traveled okay, but I wasn't expecting to get slammed like that," Barret mumbled as he took his first shot. Letting out a breath as the burning liquor quenched his dry throat, Barret cradled his glass in his hands. "Just shows how little we know about things around here and outside."

Cloud surprised everyone when he downed his first glass in one go—he usually wasn't the one to rush a drink. Tifa was hesitant to refill his glass, but he urged her to anyway. Down went his second glass, and then his third, and then his fourth and fifth.

"… You alright, Cloud?" Tifa finally asked. It wasn't just her that noticed his darker-than-usual mood; Jessie and Barret had noticed his quietness and glower ever since they left Aerith's house. At first, they thought he was showing anger for Aerith's sake—who wouldn't after reading such a horrible thing?—but it was getting clearer that it wasn't just the notebook that made him spill death from his eyes.

He didn't answer Tifa as he took another sip of liquor, and when everyone thought the night would go on silently through a comforting drinking session in Tifa's bar, it began.

"Fuck." Cloud jolted everyone when he suddenly slammed his glass against the counter and flew his hand over to the side of his head. It came, the familiar green wash that always taunted him, shifting his reality through static touches of the past.

"Cloud?"

The blond shook his head, as if such a simple motion could rid the painful flickering of green as Barret's hand grasped onto his shoulder out of concern. It wasn't a full blast of hallucinations and flashbacks that usually made him succumb to his knees in a desperate attempt to differentiate what was real and what was not, but the pain was minimally better as someone tried to stick a wrench inside his head once more. "Ugh."

"Is it happening again? Cloud," Tifa grabbed onto his free hand lying on the counter as Barret patted him on the shoulder. He had experienced this type of thing from Cloud before many years back when these headaches attacked him out of nowhere in the middle of work and in the daytime. Jessie, who had never seen Cloud like this, stood up from her seat and went over to his other side to stabilize his swaying figure. Cloud, who was too preoccupied in warding off the pain, didn't pay attention to any of the worried looks his friends gave him.

_Once you kill me, do you really think you can live a normal life after this?_

Just when he thought he could scrap by the night with just green vision and cursed headaches, Cloud spoke too soon.

"Bastard," Cloud groaned as images of Hojo's death started to appear before his eyes along with sounds he never wanted to hear again. The red-stained smile, the crunch of bones being crushed, the screams of the makonoids that clawed not only for his life, but for their own, and the echoing cackle of Hojo's sickening laugh before Cloud cut off his life.

Cloud had always probed for a reason as to why his mako poisoning always acted up at the wrong times and at the wrong moments, but today, the answer made itself obvious and evident.

"Cloud, stay with us, don't go back," Tifa moved her hands from his hand to grasp onto his wrist, as if doing so would prevent him from slipping out of the present, "Don't go back to those times. You don't need to go there anymore. We're here. Look!"

Cloud shrugged off all three of them, not wanting them to be involved in his issues and his burdens. There was no reason for any of their innocent natures to go anywhere near his own tarnished one nor know of anything he went through before he finally settled here in Sector 7. They were undeserving of any of the weight. He needed to go.

Now.

Cloud stood up to leave and go back to his room, to escape and flee and hide from the eyes of the others and to bathe himself in his blood that was stained by the blood of others. He avoided Jessie's look of worry, Barret's of concern, and Tifa's of sadness as he took a step towards the exit of the bar. He should've never stepped foot in Sector 7. He should've never tried to live a normal life when underneath, his crimes laid buried, knocking on his door, asking when the next time he would dig them back up and revisit them. He should've never taken up the Buster Sword, to fulfill a role he knew was too much for him. He didn't deserve to—

_You don't think you deserve to be happy?_

Cloud stopped in his tracks as a familiar, soft voice rang clearer and clearer amongst all the screaming and yelling that screeched in his ears. It sounded so real that he thought she was with him, next to him as her feathery hands held onto his arms from behind, coaxing him to relax with her ever-gentle words.

"Aerith," Cloud whispered as he turned around, as if expecting her to be there, to see her calming smile.

_Step one in having a clearer mindset: surround yourself in a positive environment._

Instead of seeing her face, he met with three other pairs of eyes who never stopped looking away from him.

"You asshole, if you don't sit your ass cheeks back down in this chair and tell us what's going through that crack head of yours, I swear, to bloody murder, that this gun will be the last thing you see on this Planet," Barret growled. "It's been five years too fucking long for this shit."

_It's not complicated to let someone know how much you appreciate them and thank them for what they've done for you._

"Cloud, what did I say?" Tifa called out for him, fist against her chest as she clenched her fingers hard together. "What did I say today? That I'm always here for you—that _we're_ always here for you. Why do you keep forgetting?"

_Step three: say what's on your mind. Talk it out and cleanse your mind spiritually._

"I've had enough of being in the dark about these types of things," Jessie said as she balled her hands up and looked towards the ground. "I've known you for five years yet I know nothing about you, just like how I didn't know anything about Aerith today. So don't just go walking off like a cool guy shouldering everything on his own when you're clearly not one."

And just like that, the hand that pressed at the side of his head loosened as the green wash started to flicker away, his reality lightened with colors he never knew could be so bright as his eyes readjusted themselves. His arm fell back to his side as he felt everything get tucked away deep inside the familiar box—something he only felt through Aerith's healing magic. Stunned, he looked at his palms as he felt the ever-so-stable floors underneath his feet.

_Cloud, I'm not afraid of my past._

After a moment of stupor, Cloud finally spoke.

"I'll tell you guys," Cloud found himself blurt out without thinking it through. "I'll tell you what happened to Hojo and what that bastard did not just to Aerith… but to me."

Tifa furrowed her eyebrows. All of this was new to her. "Cloud?"

"But another time. I'm tired. We're all tired."

"Asshole, you better not—"

"I'm not running away," Cloud curtly corrected Barret as he continued to feel his hands, still in shock at what he just experienced. "I'm just… trying to get my thoughts together. It's… _difficult._ "

Realizing how Cloud was willing to open himself up after so long despite his clumsiness with words, Tifa never smiled so brightly as she clapped her hands together, elated and relieved.

"Cloud, please, rest up all you want. We're always going to be here, at 7th Heaven, with ears open for you whenever and wherever."

"… I know," Cloud breathed as he tightened his hands into fists and let them fall freely by his side. "And… thank you."

He didn't want to see their looks of surprise from his sudden act of appreciation as he took his sword and left the bar in a trance. The whispers of Aerith's voice continued to soothe him on his way back to his room, as if to dispel all the side-effects that came after every migraine he experienced.

The effects of his quick intake of alcohol started to show as he got ready for bed in a buzzed state, the world spinning slightly under him as he wobbled over to his bed and collapsed onto its soft and welcoming sheets. It was a weird feeling as he felt the same feelings of peace and lightness from the first night he slept in his new, remodeled room. He didn't bother to prop his sword up against the wall as he simply dropped it onto the floor and fully laid on his bed.

When Cloud closed his eyes, he started to imagine flowers, sunshine, and pink instead of the usual green and red. It was his remedy now every time he went to sleep, not that he would openly admit it to anybody if anyone asked him how he suddenly started to sleep so easily when his previous sleep was previously festered with nightmares.

His eyelids felt heavy, but before he entered the land of sleep after a long and emotional day, his phone rang. No one ever called him unless it was an emergency, so despite his reluctance to reach inside his pocket and see what was wrong rather than just ignore it, Cloud blindly pulled out his phone and, without checking the caller ID, answered groggily.

"My, did I accidentally wake you up?"

Cloud never woke up so quick as his eyes flew open in the darkness at the familiar voice.

"Aerith?" he sat up completely as his feet touched the ground. "What's wrong?"

"Seems like you don't get phone calls often," her chuckle resonated through his speakers. He calmed when he recognized her cheerful tone. Running a hand through his hair, Cloud gathered together his jumble of words that barely pieced themselves together in his alcohol-pounding head.

"What's up?"

"Just checking up on you."

Cloud hand traveled to his forehead as it rubbed it in both fatigue and confusion. "I'm fine, but why would you need to check up on me?"

"Because," and she paused a bit before she continued. "I had a feeling that you wouldn't be okay. Call it a woman's instincts."

"Just call it your Cetra instincts already," Cloud mumbled, not surprised anymore about how Aerith just somehow knew his mood even without seeing him in person—he wasn't going to put up a fight against it anymore. "Anyway, your worry came late. I'm fine now."

"So, something happened." It wasn't a question.

"… Just another headache, but," Cloud wondered if he should describe to her how he felt, how her voice somehow managed to reach out to him and pull him away from the spiral of doom and despair that usually followed after his migraine, but that was too embarrassing. So, instead, he settled with, "it managed to go away on its own."

Unfortunately, Aerith was not convinced. "Ah, so the healing regiment worked."

"Did not."

"You silly kid. Can't you be cute for once?"

"No. I'm hanging up," Cloud grunted, but he was painfully aware himself that he didn't mean it. Words. They were always so, so difficult. A part of him hoped that Aerith didn't believe his words and wouldn't end the call.

And she didn't.

Instead, she laughed into her phone, and he could already imagine her dancing her silly circle around him.

"Any who, it's good to hear that you're okay. Wouldn't want you to have those horrible nightmares again from the poisoning, right?"

"… Right."

"And you have friends there for you."

"Right."

"…"

"…"

The line suddenly purged into silence, and it was most likely Cloud's fault since he kept giving her short and curt answers despite how talkative she was even on the phone. He should've just ended the call there—there wasn't much left to talk about—but his fingers just wouldn't move.

"So, didn't you say you were going to hang up?" Aerith giggled, waiting for his words amidst the silence.

Cloud tightened the grip he had on his phone as he released a breath.

Aerith. There was no more denying it anymore.

He wanted to see her.

"I want to see you."

Even if it was just the alcohol talking, he didn't care because regardless of liquor intake, he knew that he meant these words, buzzed or not buzzed.

Just when he was about to take it back, however, due to her sudden silence, her voice finally came back.

"Then open the door because it's cold out here."

It took Cloud five long and excruciating seconds for his mind to catch up with vocabulary and figure out what Aerith meant by that. When it registered, he blinked and muttered a "no way" into the phone before getting off his bed, half-jogging up to his door, and swinging it open.

Aerith was surprised to see his door open with more force than she expected, so she took one step back in shock before smiling at Cloud's flabbergasted expression.

"Yahoo," she greeted as she waved her phone in her hand, still connected to his in a call. "Miss me?"

"What in the world are you doing here?" Cloud asked, but he nevertheless opened the door wider for her to step in as he ended the call and shoved his phone back into his pocket. Aerith gladly took his invite as she skipped past him and fully entered his room. His mind was already whirling as it searched for answers as to why she was here, and it even touched on the prospect of him getting fired if Elmyra ever found out she snuck out in the middle of the night just to see him.

"I got permission to come here if you're worried about your job," Aerith narrowed her eyes at him, already knowing what he was thinking with his conflicted expression. "Elmyra knows everything, so it wasn't hard to convince her to let me seek my friends once she saw the notebook."

Cloud couldn't complain before Aerith made herself at home, lit up a candle to brighten his dark room in amber, and sat down on his bed. Not knowing where to place himself, he simply stood, even if his head was spinning.

"Okay, sure, but why?" he continued to question her sudden visit.

Aerith teasingly put a finger to her chin as she pretended to think about her answer. Eventually, she shook her head and grinned a mischievous smile.

"I thought you wanted to see me. Unless I heard wrong."

"You heard wrong," Cloud decided to play hard-to-get as he awkwardly sat cross-legged on the floor. However, he just knew Aerith was eventually going to drag him over to sit by her on bed. Reaching towards him, she wordlessly tugged him by the arm to bring him over, and he conceded as he allowed her to pull him onto the bed.

This time, he didn't pull away as he felt their shoulders brush.

"You're not saying much today, hm? Well, you don't say much in general, but," Aerith noticed.

Cloud sighed. "I drank a bit. So, I'm a bit tired."

"Are you drunk?"

"I'm not."

"Aw, you've seen me drunk once, no fair," Aerith pouted as she remembered her first time drinking. "I want to see your embarrassing side too."

"Too bad because I don't have one, but I think yours is enough for the both of us," Cloud muttered, not too fond with all the gimmicks she pulled at Wall Market.

And then, his started to remember _that._

While he had told himself before how he was never going to think about it again, his mind couldn't help but venture into the memory of how he almost kissed her that night.

Instantly feeling hot, Cloud scooted away from her just by the tiniest bit so that she wouldn't notice.

"I wasn't planning on staying for long," Aerith said, completely unaware about his unnecessary thoughts. "I really did come here just to check on not just you, but everyone else, but it seems like all of you are fine. I just saw Barret help Tifa drag a really drunk Jessie back home—maybe that part isn't too fine—but I'm glad overall."

"Why are you the one worrying about us?" Cloud frowned, wondering how far Aerith's selflessness stretched. "Rather, it should be the opposite. Are _you_ okay?"

"Hm, worried?"

"Of course, I am."

Aerith wasn't expecting the stoic to openly admit something like that since he always avoided it whenever she poked and teased him about his true feelings. She didn't want him to shy away from being open, so instead of saying anything, she simply leaned her head onto his shoulder, comfortably snuggling up to his side as the white walls flickered with the small flame of the candle.

If Cloud was uncomfortable, then he didn't show any signs of it as he remained unmoved by her affectionate action. Because of his unresponsiveness, Aerith bravely hugged his arm with hers next. He still didn't move.

"What happened to not staying long?" he, instead, quietly asked her.

Aerith let out a hum of contentment as she let his warmth seep into her, eyes closed as she let her tired eyes rest for a moment.

"I changed my mind," she simply answered. "Just feeling a bit lonely, and I think your company is perfect. You mind?"

"… Do whatever you want."

Aerith heeded his words as her eyes remained closed. Cloud, on the other hand, stared at the constant shifts of light coming from the candle that moved fluidly against the walls. When he thought Aerith had fallen asleep, she scared him slightly when she spoke up one more time.

"Thank you, guys. For not eyeing me as if I'm some experiment lab rat."

"Who do you think we are, heartless assholes? Of course," Cloud assured, a bit upset that Aerith would ever think that way. However, he began to relate to her feelings as he put himself in her shoes; she wasn't the only one who was conscious about having judgmental gazes on her. A part of him wondered if he could ever stay so resilient like Aerith, but stopped when he realized the hard truth.

No, he was never able to cope with it efficiently and positively like she did. Instead, he had been the complete opposite, wallowing in his own misery as those around him managed to move on with their lives. Even Tifa, who had everything stolen from her just as much as he had, was able to bring herself back up on her two feet and manage a bar despite witnessing her entire village slaughtered before her eyes.

However, for the first time ever, he felt… hope. Today proved it. His migraines—for the first time ever, he was able to push it away willfully and on his own accord without Aerith's magic. Maybe things didn't look too grim in the future for him.

His thoughts began to venture to the more positive side as he rested the side of his head against Aerith's, not thinking too much behind the action as he continued to train his eyes against the wicks of the flame. By following Aerith's advice about managing his mako poisoning, perhaps there was an end to the dark tunnel he had traveled through for years. The normal life that Hojo cursed he wouldn't have now seemed a bit more possible.

Cloud was going to prove that bastard wrong, even in hell.

"Despite your cold exterior, you're really warm," Aerith murmured softly, interrupting his train of thoughts. It was obvious how sleep threatened to take over her, and Cloud wondered if she was going to stay the night. "You're a good bodyguard."

"Odd to call me a bodyguard right now," Cloud lightly joked, but he didn't mean anything more behind his words. Aerith thought otherwise.

"Oh, so what should I call you instead?"

Aerith removed her head from his shoulder, causing his chin to bump slightly against the top of her head. She looked at him expectantly, and when he didn't turn to look at her back, her fingers reached up to touch his cheek and slowly turn his face.

"Acquaintances?" he answered lamely, completely ignoring the way her fingers fluttered against the skin of his cheek. Aerith laughed.

"That doesn't sound too accurate. You might as well call us business partners at that point," she mused. She felt his arm unravel from hers, but when she thought he would pull away and put some distance between them like he usually did, he instead placed his hand on the bed space behind her. Aerith could feel her skin tingle all over as his shoulder brushed against hers more obviously with more friction.

"But aren't we? My bodyguarding for your healing regiment," Cloud stated the obvious. Aerith could not tell whether or not he was just being witty or flirty, but she welcomed all the forms as she brushed the hair out of his eyes. His mako orbs never glowed so brightly before as he looked not at her face, but her shoulder. Finding it super cute how he still avoided eye contact at a moment like this, she tilted his chin up with the side of her finger so that he could look up at her.

"Would it kill you to just admit we're friends now?" Aerith said softly as her hand returned to brush the hair that kept falling over his forehead. "It's kind of cold to base our relationship based on materialistic terms."

"Friends," it was as if the word was odd against his tongue as he said it. "I mean, I guess. Sure."

Aerith lost her breath when Cloud finally turned his eyes to peer into her green ones.

" _Close_ friends," Aerith added, finding air again as she smiled at him. "Friends who share secrets with each other, hm?"

"Not my thing," he said as he continued their somewhat-playful banter. Aerith wondered how far he would take it as she felt her heart rummage against her ribcage in complaint and excitement. The tension was too much for her as her toes curled in her shoes and her chest roared with nearly-dizzying fluttering, and she wondered if he even felt the same. Nothing about his composure screamed nervousness besides the previous lack of eye contact. It was as if he was used to these types of things, and a part of her singed with jealously at the sudden idea that this was a regular thing between him and Tifa.

"You suddenly stopped talking," he spoke again, and Aerith's small bit of jealously vanished when she saw the way he bit his bottom lip in uncertainty. Believing that their little game was over, Cloud made a move to pull away from her and take in some much-needed fresh air, but Aerith pulled him back by the collar of his shirt with her two hands. His forehead bumped against hers before he pulled away a bit in surprise.

"It was because I was thinking about how handsome you are," Aerith said breathlessly as her hot air fanned against his face. The fingers that simply brushed against his face became more daring as they slowly started to run through his hair, eliciting a sound of contentment from him. Cloud didn't miss the way her eyes darted fleetingly at his lips and back to his eyes because he was doing the very exact same thing as he tried to get himself out of the current mood they were in.

There was an undeniable chemistry between them, and he had always felt it since day two of bodyguarding her. It would be a lie if he didn't find her attractive—Aerith was one of the prettiest women he ever laid eyes on—but advancing on like this just felt… weird.

And wrong.

Something in his gut told him not to do this. Not without more time. Not when he was still employed as her bodyguard.

And really, just something else he couldn't pinpoint.

"I get that a lot," he tried to play it cool and ignored her obvious signs of attraction towards him, but Aerith wasn't backing off. Instead, she clasped his face with her soft hands and brought her lips closer to his mouth for a sweet and searing kiss, and just like last time, he blocked her advancement with a hand. The only difference was that his hand was ungloved this time, and he guiltily let a shiver run down his spine when he felt the softness of her lips against his palm.

Aerith, who was definitely not drunk this time, pulled away and looked at his hand with furrowed eyebrows, as if such a thing wasn't supposed to be there between them as she slowly lowered it with her own.

"A penny for your thoughts?" she asked, a small smile forced upon her lips. If she was embarrassed, she hid it well. With an eyebrow quirked up in question, she pulled away just by a bit to hear his answer. "Correct me if I'm wrong in thinking that you wanted to kiss me too."

"I'm not your ex-lover," he blurted out as an answer, remembering how the last time she tried to pull a quick one on him was because she saw her past lover in him, but that wasn't the reason why he mustered all his willpower to stop her inviting kiss—it was merely an excuse for something else he couldn't explain.

Aerith did not expect Cloud to suddenly mention something that even she forgot she told him about. She blinked, and Cloud swore her eyes darkened just a bit, something he never saw from her before.

"I didn't try to kiss you because I missed my dead lover," Aerith sighed. If Cloud had wanted the mood to be dispelled before, then he was successful, for Aerith was the one who distanced herself from the blond as she straightened out her dress. "I don't know what Jessie told you, but I'm hung up over him for different reasons than the ones you're thinking of."

"Jessie didn't tell me anything," Cloud said, clueless. "What are you talking about?"

Aerith raised her eyebrows up a bit in surprise, wondering then why Cloud mentioned her past lover like that in the first place. However, she shrugged it off as another sigh escaped her lips. Cloud wasn't dumb enough to miss the disappointment that was tinged with it.

When Aerith didn't say anything anymore and simply sat there with her hands clasped together in her lap, Cloud never knew his mouth could ever be dumber with the next few exchanges he held with her.

"… Are you staying here for the night?" he asked, checking the time on his phone. It _was_ late.

Aerith gave him an incredulous look.

"You sound like you offer your place often."

"Tifa would sometimes—" he instantly snapped his jaw shut as he realized what his mouth was about to say, wondering how the hell it bypassed the security check of his brain. However, he had said enough for Aerith to catch the hint about what he was going to say before she scoffed.

"Sorry, Mr. Bodyguard, but I don't stay over at the place of a man who just rejected me," and she stood up, patting her dress down for the added effect of disappointment. "I'm sorry for suddenly coming in here uninvited."

"I wanted to see you, it's fine," was his last attempt to somehow make everything alright again, but Aerith had enough for the night.

"I'll be fine in the morning," Aerith assured, fanning herself as she felt the heat of embarrassment stain her cheeks. "Just give me a night to recover and we'll back to normal before you know it."

"Wait, Aerith—"

"Let me know if anything happens, okay?"

Aerith managed one last breath in his room before she went towards his door and stormed out. He was quick to follow her, only to encounter Tifa right outside her own door next to his. She was in the middle of turning the lock and heading inside for some good night's rest when Cloud's door suddenly swung open and out came Aerith.

"Aerith? What are you—Cloud?" Tifa looked between the two as her hand remained on her keys. Slowly, she took them out and blinked at the both of them.

"Tifa! How are you doing? I'm glad you're looking okay after learning some depressing things about me." Aerith's mood flipped upside-down as she regarded Tifa with her usual chipper. Cloud could only rub his face in agony at the unexpected and awkward encounter with Tifa.

"Yeah, of course, I'm okay, but are you okay?" Tifa said, but her eyes were still wide and curious as she stole another glance towards Cloud. Before she could daringly ask what was wrong, Aerith gave her a small hug as a farewell before she excused herself.

"It's late, and a girl like me needs to go home now."

"You're walking back? This late?" Tifa frowned, not liking the idea of the Cetra just walking back home by herself during the night. "Here, Cloud can—"

"Cloud can just stay right there in his room. I wouldn't want to trouble him. I'll see in you Sector 7 sometimes again when I sell my flowers, Tifa. Bye!"

Before Tifa could continue arguing, Aerith made her escape down the stairs, leaving Cloud and Tifa behind to just stare at her disappearing back. Cloud didn't care if Tifa was right there as he turned to face the wall and bump his head onto it two times at his fuck up.

"She didn't look happy. At least with you," Tifa mused, resuming her door-unlocking as she jammed her key back into the socket. "I'll just do you a favor and not ask what just happened."

"Just don't," Cloud grumbled, and he left Tifa behind to laugh at him as he returned back to his room with a harsh slam to the door.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heh, here's another chapter!! Reading your comments and I'm super super glad this fic is able to keep you on the edge of your seat/make your day! That's why I love what I do!

"What happened to doing me a favor and not asking?"

"What? I'm not saying anything."

"Please, your eyes are."

Cloud steeled his gaze at Tifa, causing her to laugh as she washed the dishes over the counter. Feeling bad about how he always just watched her do behind-the-counter chores while he just sat around like a dead rock, Cloud slipped around the corner to help her out. Tifa, who was not expecting his sudden assistance, paused in her circular hand motions with the sponge and blinked at him.

"… What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? Here, I'll help you out."

Cloud didn't understand the strange look that Tifa gave him as her ruby eyes blinked at him, wide and suspicious. When he tried to reach for the sponge, she turned her body and held it away from him.

"Cloud, _what_ are you doing?" Tifa questioned again. "It's a Wednesday. Go and bodyguard already, you're not one to just wash _dishes._ "

Cloud awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck at the mention of bodyguarding and simply shrugged. "Not on duty."

"… Should I ask why?"

"I already said _no._ " Cloud slinked back over to his seat at Tifa's rejection for his assistance, and back he went, lazing around for the afternoon as he waited rather impatiently for any text or sudden appearance through the bar doors. Tifa rolled her eyes as she continued cleaning the dishes; she didn't need to ask him to have some idea about what had happened last night between him and Aerith.

"Cloud, did you ever have any friends back in your days?"

Cloud quirked an eyebrow. "What's with the sudden question about my social life?"

"Just wondering. Because you're just bad with people."

He scowled, not appreciating the sudden diss about the way he interacted with people, but he thought about it anyway as his mind wandered over to the deep accesses of the past. However, he couldn't remember anything positive from back then in regards to being friendly with anyone, so he simply shook his head and said, "I had other things to worry about at the time."

Tifa sighed, obviously disappointed, as she dried the last plate and set it on the drying rack. Already knowing about some details about his violent past, she still had some hopes that maybe, just maybe, he had someone back in the day to rely on, but that sadly wasn't the case.

"Alright."

Tifa got off of his case when she knew that anymore interrogation would cause him to just walk straight out of the bar, so she let him have some time and peace alone as she focused her attention back on catering to her loyal customers.

However, Cloud wished that Tifa didn't go because now the only thing that kept him company was his thoughts, and he did not want them as company for obvious reasons. Now, he had to think about how stupid he was last night and have the image of Aerith's slightly pained expression circulating around his head until the next time he talked to her. He wished he had the words to describe how he felt towards her, but such things came short. What was he supposed to say anyway? The only woman he ever felt this familiar confusion for was…

Cloud turned around to look at Tifa one more time. Her robust but feminine form danced across the bar as she balanced all sorts of things in her arms: dishes, bowls, glasses, and checks. When she caught him staring, Tifa simply smiled at him before her attention got pulled over to another customer.

Turning back around, Cloud heaved a sigh and felt his forehead with his fingers.

Tifa.

He didn't know when, and he didn't know how, but…

He didn't think of her in that special way anymore. She was still important to him, and he would risk his life any day for her safety without a doubt. Their bond had definitely gotten stronger—stronger than it ever had been years ago—but now it was… _different._ He used to feel weird sparks around her, and he definitely felt blown out of his mind whenever he thought back to their intimate moments, but now, as his mind dared to venture back to such old times, he didn't feel that way anymore.

Nostalgia. Warmth. Reunion. Feelings of the past, long moved on. That was how he felt about the raven-haired beauty now. She was his precious childhood friend and…

Family.

"And what are you thinking so hard about now? I can _never_ read your mind," Tifa popped back in front of his face as she began to wash more dirty dishes under the running water. Her curious smile paired with her raised eyebrow pegged him for an answer, but he simply shook his head as he gave her slight upward tilts of his lips.

"Nothing. Anyway, I think you need to hire people to help you run this bar because you're going to break all your plates sooner or later."

"Don't jinx it, you."

It wasn't for another five minutes when his quickening heartbeat drove him crazy on the edge of his seat when the doors of the bar flew open and the smell of flowers waved past his nose when a figure sat down right next to him on the counter.

"Just knew you would be here if you weren't on post."

Cloud turned his head to face the familiar voice, not expecting the happy smile she always gave him. Aerith settled her flower basket on the counter as she plucked a flower out of it, snipped the end of the stem off, and placed it in Tifa's vase.

"Thanks, Aerith," Tifa warmly said as she gave the girl her own happy smile. She didn't stay for long, however, as she went to the kitchen to toss some more orders up, and Cloud wondered if she left them alone on purpose.

"You should really text me and let me know when you're coming," Cloud muttered, glad that he wasn't stuttering and tripping over his words. However, his heart rate wouldn't settle down as he took interest in the water pitcher sitting by the edge of the counter. The blond had to make a conscious effort to not make his breathing audible.

"Aw, too eager to see me?"

Before he could lie and deny it, the florist already beat him to it. "Just kidding. Anyway, what sector should I sell my babies to today?"

"Your choice," he answered, feeling very odd. She didn't lie when she said that she only needed a night to return back to normal. Cloud didn't know how he felt about that. Earlier, he had hoped that things were, indeed, going to be normal once he saw her, but now that things were _too_ normal, he wanted the Cetra to show some sort of irritation or _anything_ so that he could at least speak up about it and perhaps even explain.

Cloud received nothing.

"Sector 7 it is for today," hummed Aerith as she played with the petals on one of the flowers. "I think the residents around here are starting to warm up to me, don't you think?"

"Because you keep shoving flowers up their face without a warning," Cloud sighed, eyes still trained on anything that weren't her eyes. "I'm sure you have a rep around here now as the preppy flower girl."

"That means sales will go up right?"

"Go test it out right now."

"Gladly."

Receiving the signal to begin his work for the day, Cloud hopped off the seat and strapped his sword behind his back. When he took a step towards the doors to exit, he noticed how Aerith hadn't moved from her seat.

"Something the matter?" He finally looked directly at her, only to see a conflicted expression adorned on her beautiful face. "Aerith?"

"Oh, what?" Aerith snapped out of her reverie and blinked her bright green eyes at him. It took her a quick second to regain her composure before she forced a smile that Cloud knew was fake. "Sorry. Yup, let's go."

Cloud bit his bottom lip in hesitance; he really should give some sort of explanation. He could feel it, the awkward air that Aerith had tried to dispel with her usual chipper. However, there was no denying the tension that never disappeared since last night's events. Although the bar was the least appropriate place to hold this sort of conversation, it was the only time where he could bring it up before his job ended for the day.

"Look, Aerith," he began uncomfortably.

Aerith immediately held her hands up to her ears to block out whatever he had to say to her.

"No, no, don't say anything," she instantly demanded as she shook her head. "I know what you're going to say, and I don't want to hear it."

"I didn't even say anything yet," argued Cloud, but Aerith continued to shake her head regardless.

"I get it," she said. "I really do. So, let's just… pretend like nothing happened last night, hm?"

"… get what?" Cloud could see the way her cheeks burned slightly as she recounted her embarrassing actions. Seeing her all flustered made him feel the same as he pulled at the collar of his shirt in an attempt to get the room to cool down. "But Aerith—"

"Cloud! Really. Oh my gosh, you look so serious!" Aerith suddenly erupted into giggles as she hooked her arm with his like she usually did. However, her smile faltered as she slowly felt how unnatural it was and let her arm slip out. She took a step back to put some distance between them, and Cloud couldn't help but feel a slight pang hit his chest. "You don't have to feel bad about anything. It was my fault."

"Your fault? What was your fault?" he questioned, feeling so lost.

Aerith forced another smile as she hung her flower basket on her arm. "For assuming… _things._ I should've, uh, _asked_ you. Instead, I got everything backwards, didn't I?"

She spoke as if Cloud understand the context behind her vague words, but he didn't. Romantically dumb, he blinked twice at her before placing his hands on his hips and cocking his head to the side a bit.

"What?"

"Ugh, nothing!" Aerith slapped him on the side of his arm. "Anyway, what I'm saying is that there are no hard feelings! Let's continue how things were before, alright? Everything will be okay!"

No, it wasn't going to be okay for him. Sweeping it under the rug while he was still trying to sort out his own feelings and thoughts didn't settle well for him, but nevertheless, the "okay" escaped his mouth before he could prevent it. After all, Aerith seemed insistent, and he didn't want to make her anymore uncomfortable.

This time, Aerith smiled a real smile in response before she pointed to the exit.

"Nice! Let's go spread some flower power today, shall we?"

"… Yeah."

And Cloud wordlessly followed Aerith's back, ending the one-sided conversation for good.

Outside, Cloud resumed his usual post of standing by some building as Aerith skipped around trying to appeal her flowers to any potential customers. His eyes never left her slim and elegant figure, whose dress swayed with the gentle wind with every movement she made. He kept trying to convince himself that it was all part of the job, that he was simply doing his duty as a bodyguard by watching her. However, he could see through his own lies as he enjoyed every second of her beautiful form.

Then he asked himself: what kind of spell did Aerith put on him? He felt so strung on by her that he nearly lost his cool every time she even spared him a look with those discerning, green eyes of hers.

"Ugh," Cloud rubbed his face with both of his hands to snap himself out of his utterly tranced state or else his mind would go crazy. Maybe he should try to talk to her again after everything was done today—there was no way he was going to let this get buried.

When he shook his head and fixed his hair a bit before returning his eyes back to her, he didn't expect some guy to suddenly start bothering the florist, which was amazing—he only had his eyes off her for a few seconds. Cloud simply stood by on watch though, knowing fully well her abilities to ward off random suitors off the street, but a frown started to deepen on his forehead when the guy continued to be persistent. It was when he grabbed onto Aerith's arm that Cloud started to head over to break it off.

"Sir, I think going home with a flower or two would be enough to make your day," Aerith continued to be polite-mannered, but her irritation was obvious as her smile struggled to stay on her face instead of being replaced with a frown. "Plus, I'm quite busy today. These flowers don't sell themselves."

"Hey, I can buy all of them if it means I could have your time after," the man continued to persuade as the grip on her arm never went away. "Someone like you shouldn't just stand around here all day with no one to buy your flowers."

"She can sell her flowers just fine without you."

Aerith gasped when Cloud came in between them and wrenched the man's grip off of her. His hand nearly crushed the wrist in its hold, but the man showed no indication of pain as he looked up to sneer at Cloud.

"Hey, me and her were having a conversation here. Unhand me, I'll have you know that I used to be a second-class SOLD— _Cloud_?"

Cloud stood protectively in front of Aerith, but his expression mirrored the man's once his eyes recognized him. Instantly, he let go of the wrist, but he made sure to back away from man with Aerith before he said anything.

"Luxiere?"

Cloud's eyebrows made various, conflicted motions as he studied the facial features he hadn't seen for five years. There was no doubt about it—those mako eyes gave it away. There was absolutely no mistaking it once Kunsel's familiar face approached the three of them.

"Luxiere," he huffed in agitation, "What are you doing? What did I say about causing trouble h— _Cloud?_ "

Kunsel's reaction matched Luxiere's as he stared wide-eyed at Cloud, and Cloud didn't miss the ogling party as the three of them looked at each other and between each other as people continued to pass by them without a single glance towards their way. Cloud hadn't seen anyone from the rebellion since he left, so seeing Kunsel's face out of everyone he could've bumped into made him feel a lot of forgotten feelings—feelings he was better off not having.

"Cloud, it is you!" Kunsel excitedly clapped Cloud on the shoulder, but Cloud didn't return the sentiment as he continued to stare in shock at the two ex-SOLDIERs. "Holy crap, you really haven't changed one bit. Where have you been all these years? I thought I would've bumped into you somehow, but it was as if you were gone from the face of this Planet!"

Kunsel's smile faltered when Cloud failed to respond to his cheerful greeting. Realizing how he was being too chummy towards a person whose personality was as cold as the winters, Kunsel took a step back and cleared his throat. "We're just surveilling this area, so bumping into you was the last thing I ever expected."

"Surveilling? For what?"

Cloud didn't notice how surprised Aerith became when she heard the tone of his voice. It was icy, calculating, and rough as he became a person she didn't know. She saw the way his jaw tightened and the way his eyes became sharp—almost shredding—as he regarded the two old acquaintances.

"After the rebellion, we got government jobs," Kunsel readily explained, "So we're sent out from time to time to patrol and report on an area that is assigned to u—"

"Kunsel, I don't think you need to explain anything to this bastard."

Cloud flickered his gaze over to Luxiere, who did not regard him as kindly as Kunsel had. His mako eyes were fierce as they trained on the blond. "Not to someone who ran away from his troops once the job was done."

Cloud scoffed as he crossed his arms, forgetting that Aerith was just standing behind him witnessing the whole entire exchange. "At least I stayed for the entire fight instead of running away in the middle of it."

"Excuse me? What did you say? Who ran away from what?" Luxiere snarled. He stomped menacingly towards Cloud, but the blond stood his ground as his eyes remained unblinking.

"You think I didn't know how you completely ignored my orders the day we stormed HQ? I told you to go one place, but you went to another because you were too scared."

"How dare you accuse me of such a thing!"

"Luxiere, stop it," Kunsel pleaded, separating the two with his two arms just like the old times. "We're not here to pick fights."

"I wasn't planning on picking a fight, but he is tainting my honor as SOLDIER with his blasted words!"

Cloud smirked at the ex-SOLDIER, further infuriating him.

"Honor? Didn't know you had any."

That was enough to blow Luxiere's top. Without caring about the surrounding civilians, he pulled out his sword and threateningly held it at Cloud's neck. Even then, the blond remained unfazed and unmoving.

"Luxiere, stop it this instant. You know how Cloud is—he's just harsh with his words. Now put your sword away before you embarrass us," Kunsel continued to urge. The residents started to gather in a crowd in order to spectate the odd scene in before them. Some were excited to see a fight break out while others stood concerned for their own safety. "Civilian area is not the place to pull out your sword."

"Why are you always on this guy's side?" Luxiere barked at Kunsel, noticing how his comrade kept trying to restrain him and not Cloud. "Even nine years ago, you were always defending this imposter of a SOLDIER, no matter how arrogant and bossy he was. Five years later, and he's still the bastard he is!"

Not liking how there were eyes on them now, Cloud shot a hand out and grabbed onto Luxiere's blade. He didn't hear Aerith's shriek of surprise as the blade cut through his glove and sliced his skin. However, he didn't care as he gripped it hard and steadily, forcing Luxiere to lower it down. The blood that dripped and slipped down the edge of the blade scared a lot of people who were close enough to see.

"The 'bastard' you're talking to is the same person you had to take orders from nine years ago as a lowly subordinate. Did you think about that?" Cloud said with eerily calm despite his quickly-bloodying hand. "I'm surprised that _you're_ still the same after five years. Pathetic."

Before Cloud could disarm him, he felt soft hands grasp onto his elbow.

"Cloud, stop!"

Aerith's pleading voice was enough to snap him out of the spell of the past as he automatically let go of Luxiere's sword and blinked his way back to current times. Finally remembering how Aerith was right beside him, he turned towards her in what he felt was shame. Before he could speak up, she grabbed onto his injured hand, instantly smearing some of his blood onto her own, clean hands.

"Hey, it's fine," he muttered as he tried to pull away. Nothing could describe how he felt at the moment as he wallowed in shame for allowing Aerith to see him like that. However, Aerith wasn't having anymore of his behavior as she tugged at his hand and clasped it to her chest. Recognizing what she was doing, Cloud simply waited for her to finish her job as he felt his skin patch itself up, cell by cell. Once she was done, she let his hand go, but her arm remained hooked with his, afraid that if she let go, he would've gone on some sort of rampage.

When Kunsel saw Aerith, his eyes couldn't grow any wider, but before he could say anything, Aerith discreetly held a finger up to her lips so that Cloud wouldn't see and winked at him with one blink of an eye.

"Cloud!"

Tifa's familiar voice came from the crowd as she emerged from it with Jessie and Biggs by her side. She had received sudden news from Jessie that a fight had broken out between Cloud and some guy, so she was quick to rush out of her bar to see what was going on.

"Well, would you look at that? This guy managed to make _friends_ ," Luxiere sneered as he allowed Kunsel to pull him back. Cloud's gaze hardened itself once more as he bore holes at Luxiere and his unnecessary comments. "Wait until they know who the real you is. Then we can see for ourselves how long they can stay by your side."

"Why don't you take a hike once your job is done?" Cloud hissed back, taking a step forward threateningly, but Aerith held him back by the arm. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but trying to fancy a woman on the streets who is obviously not willing doesn't seem to be part of the government job you got going for you."

Kunsel frowned immensely in disapproval at Luxiere, who ignored his harsh glare.

Eyeing all the people who were now on Cloud's side, Luxiere spat onto the ground at Cloud's feet, poorly missing as he kicked up some dust in the process. "I wonder what all of these friends will do once they find out how much of a murderous lunatic you actually are." He knew he hit the right spot when Cloud visibly seethed. "A person who only saw blood and bathed in it, hm? Now that you've gone into hiding at this place, you think we can just forget? No, of course no—"

Cloud had enough, and, with a swift pull out of Aerith's hold, grabbed onto Luxiere's arm and twirled him around to bend his elbow at an unnatural angle, just like he did years ago whenever the man never followed his orders.

"Cloud!" Aerith yelped.

However, Cloud had no intentions of breaking his pathetic arm, so he simply threw him at Kunsel, who caught Luxiere with a slight stumble.

"Get the hell out of here once you're done," Cloud growled. "And do me a favor and don't let me see your face ever again."

Luxiere shrugged off Kunsel, and with one last glower at Cloud, sauntered his way out, leaving only Kunsel to grace the blond's presence.

"You would think that after five years, his personality would get better. I'm sorry about that, Cloud," apologized Kunsel as he felt the hilt of his sheathed sword in embarrassment for his friend.

Cloud scoffed. "It's whatever."

When the crowd realized how the dispute was over, it dissipated, leaving only Cloud, Aerith, Tifa, Jessie, Biggs, and Kunsel to stand around. Cloud couldn't meet Kunsel in the eye, so he settled with just staring either past him or at his shoulder.

"It seems like you're doing well, Cloud," Kunsel said softly, seeing the quick support that arrived by his side. "Don't listen to what Luxiere said. He still has a dumb ego, but he means no, uh," he looked at Cloud's fully healed hands, "harm."

"Is this a friend of yours?" Tifa asked Cloud hesitantly. This was the first time she ever met anyone who knew Cloud during the time before he came to Sector 7, so that meant that this person knew the Cloud that she didn't know of within the four years she didn't see him.

"Yes—"

"—No."

Their differing answers piqued everyone's interests as Cloud awkwardly shifted at his feet. He would've spoken more to Kunsel if all of his friends weren't right there by his side, watching and listening in on their conversation like curious cats.

"Well, since I have you here…"

"What is it?" Cloud instantly hardened as he awaited some sort of bad news to be delivered.

Kunsel blinked at his sudden stiffness before laughing and giving the blond another friendly pat on the shoulder. "Chill, you're always ready to jump into action, aren't you? No, nothing's wrong. It's just that there's… a celebration at topside. For the fifth anniversary."

"Not going," Cloud instantly answered, already knowing what Kunsel was suggesting. "And not interested."

"Right?" Kunsel chuckled awkwardly, not expecting to be shut down that quick. "But y'know, I would've called you to let you know, but—"

"You swore that you would never call me ever again," Cloud finished for him, heaving a sigh as he uncrossed his arms and let them swing by his sides. "Look, Kunsel, it's great to see you again, but I'd rather not—"

"Ooo, celebration? What's this I hear?"

Cloud knew that the moment when Aerith popped up into the conversation, all of his plans to not get involved with anyone from his somewhat-SOLDIER days would be foiled. He instantly placed a hand over his face in agony, already gaining a sense about what was going to happen.

"Er, yes. Celebration for the defeat of Shinra. Since it's the big five, all past SOLDIERs and AVALANCHE members are invited to be honored."

No one noticed how Kunsel's attitude shifted slightly when he spoke to Aerith. Aerith simply winked at him again knowingly before she let out another "ooo" of excitement.

"That sounds fun! Can friends come?"

"Of course. A celebration for the ones who saved this place from tyrannical rule deserves to be grand."

"Past…" trailed Jessie.

"SOLDIER?" finished Biggs.

This was the sole reason why Cloud did not want to talk to Kunsel in front of everyone. He could feel everyone's wide-eyed stares as he tried to signal to Kunsel with his eyes to shut up. Despite noticing his look of discomfort, Kunsel proudly revealed the past that Cloud never wanted to be let known.

"Cloud wasn't really a SOLDIER, but he didn't need to be one to lead a big faction of our troops to victory," Kunsel boasted. "It's thanks to him and a lot of other leaders in both SOLDIER and AVALANCHE that the rebellion against Shinra was successful five years ago. What, Cloud, none of your friends know about this?"

Kunsel smile dropped when all of Cloud's acquaintances turned to look at Cloud as if he was some sort of alien life form as their minds boggled with the new and sudden information. Tifa blinked rapidly at Cloud while Jessie and Biggs had their mouths wide open. Aerith simply blinked twice at him too before smiling a little bit.

"Dude, I always knew you weren't a SOLDIER, but _what?_ " Jessie squealed as she hopped and roped Cloud by the neck with her arm, earning a huge grunt of complaint from the stoic. "Cloud, what have you been hiding from us all these years? Who knew you were actually some sort of secret agent!"

"Stop, stop," growled Cloud as he took Jessie's arm off of him.

"Buddy, no wonder you have this hunking ass sword," Biggs chuckled as he gave the blade a slap, only to hiss a little bit in pain when he realized how much harder he thought it would be. "You actually used it before, didn't you?"

"No, I carry it for decoration," said Cloud sarcastically before he sighed and moved his mako eyes over towards Kunsel. "That's enough, Kunsel. Like I said before, I'm not intereste—"

"He'll go!" Aerith peeped, causing Cloud to shoot daggers at her mercilessly. "I want to go too! We all want to go, right?"

Tifa, Jessie, and Biggs seemed uncomfortable to pose their wishes against Cloud's extreme reluctance, but the excitement that brimmed their eyes at the idea of a celebration at topside was unmistakable as Aerith nodded her head encouragingly at them. Kunsel, who was watching the entire thing, was completely stunned, not expecting at all such a band of happy campers to be Cloud's close friends.

"Don't speak for me like that," Cloud muttered, knocking Aerith on the head gently with the back of his hand. She turned around and smiled widely at him, something he couldn't resist the forces of as his eye twitched a little bit in slight annoyance at being pushed against his wishes.

"Please?" Aerith held her two fists up as she shook them slightly, a quirky behavior she always did whenever the excitement was too much for her inner self to contain. Cloud crossed his arms, still defiant about the whole thing, but Aerith's pouting did wonders. "Please, please, please?"

She held onto his crossed arms as she did tiny hops of excitement like a kid asking for candy. Cloud tried to shrug her off, but couldn't as everyone observed with amused eyes. "Please?"

"Okay, fine," Cloud exasperated, letting his arms fall once more. The moment she received his confirmation, Aerith let out a happy cheer as she gave her two thumbs up at Tifa, Jessie, and Biggs at her victory in getting Cloud to say yes. In return, Tifa and Jessie couldn't help but let out their own squeals of excitement at the thought of going topside while Biggs's smirk grew wider on his face.

"What? Cloud, really? You're really going? That's super great, oh my gosh," Kunsel began to ramble as he tried to let the fact sink in that Cloud conceded so easily. "I'll text you all the details about it, okay? I'm sure some people would be glad to see your face again after so long, like me."

"Do whatever you want," mumbled Cloud, not afraid to show how sour he was about the sudden and escalated situation. He just wanted to do the damn job and bodyguard, not suddenly arrange an event to meet old "pals" again. However, his mood couldn't stay rotten for long when he saw the way the smiles on all of his friends faces shined so brightly. Sighing for the nth time, Cloud simply shook his head and gave Kunsel a single nod.

"You should go before that asshole causes more trouble," Cloud jerked his head towards Luxiere's direction, where the man scowled at them from afar.

Kunsel rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment one more time before he nodded.

"I guess I'll see you in three days at topside. I can't wait for all of us to get together again."

"Sure." Cloud did not share the same sentiment at all. With one last wave of a hand, Kunsel left, leaving the original party to themselves as Cloud felt the daggers of questions stab him from everyone's eyes.

"Cloud?"

"Yes, Tifa?" He winced as she crossed her arms.

"Remember what you said last night? About telling us a little bit about yourself?"

"Yeah, I think we need an explanation now," Jessie joined in as she held one hand at her hip. She smiled at Aerith, who nodded furiously as she joined the two women in their intimidating interrogation. She went over to Tifa's side and turned around to look at him, joining the line of feminine glares as Cloud messed with the hair at the back of his head while Biggs simply rolled his eyes and headed over to the bar where their eventual meeting would take place.

"I mean, I'd rather not now but—"

" _Cloud_ ," the three women demanded, and that was enough to shut him up.

Soon after, despite the day being done, Cloud found himself sitting in a table in 7th Heaven with six pairs of eyes—Barret and Wedge had joined them—concentrated on him like a literary work. He played with his gloves uncomfortably as he wondered where he would start, and the impatient gazes that bore their intensity onto him was creeping on his skin like annoying insects. Never did he ever thought he would sit here and delve into his past as if it was some sort of fairy tale to tell. He swore he would never speak a word of it once he started his new life, but now, as he saw Aerith's encouraging eyes, he knew he had to. For his friends and for himself.

"Well, there isn't much of a story to tell," began Cloud, but the suspicious looks did not look convinced. "The rebellion that you all know of that took Shinra down five years ago—I was a part of that force with SOLDIER. Did my stuff here and there, and once the job was done, I found myself here. Reunited with Tifa, who I think is the only person from my hometown Nibelheim and settled down here."

That was all he said because he truly believed that it was a good enough summary that framed his four-year narrative, but no one's look ever changed. Rather, they became dissatisfied when they realized that that was all Cloud planned on saying.

"Really? That's it? Bro, you're making it sound like an everyday merc job!" Wedge exclaimed. "There must be more!"

"That really is it," Cloud sighed. He wasn't lying, but he omitted details that were better left unsaid. There was no need to go into the gruesome details. "After I… left Nibelheim, I joined SOLDIER forces to take down Shinra. It was a rebellion that was long active before I even joined four years ago, but I was at the height of all of it. Before you guys ask anymore, I would assume you guys can imagine what I… had to do. The violence that had to happen to take down Shinra is not a stranger to anyone."

The table grew silent as Cloud's expression darkened. That was enough of a signal to understand why Cloud remained vague. He let out a shaky breath as he remembered all the red he had to shed, closing his fists together as he shut his eyes closed.

"Cloud, this is more of a personal question for me, but please…" Tifa gained his attention as she smiled sadly. "We can imagine why you joined SOLDIER and what horrible things you had to do—and none of it is your fault—because it was all for a good cause." Tifa wasn't deaf when she heard Luxiere's despicable words towards him, and nor was Jessie and Biggs. However, they weren't going to let some guy tell them who the real Cloud was since it wasn't him who stuck by his side for the last five years.

Cloud looked away from everyone when Tifa tried to lift away some of his guilt for everything he sliced with his blade. Tifa sighed. "Everything you did during the rebellion, I'm sure, was important, but what I really want to know… was how."

"How what?"

"Cloud, where did you disappear to after Sephiroth burned down our village? How did you end up in SOLDIER so suddenly? You speak as if you normally joined their troops, but Cloud, you didn't just _leave_ Nibelheim. Cloud, you went missing."

Silence rung in the air as Tifa's hammering statement hit not only Cloud, but also everyone who listened on. A part of Tifa was scared that interrogating Cloud like this under the eyes of many would trigger something in him like it always did before. He would either grow cold and distant, or begin to apologize profusely for a guilt he didn't deserve to carry, or he would shut himself up and silence himself until the next day broke.

However, she was mildly surprised when he showed no signs of doing so and instead rubbed the side of his head as he struggled to form a plausible explanation, and she couldn't help but silently thank Aerith at the back of her mind for allowing him to gain the courage to just sit with them like this.

"It's a… long story," admitted Cloud.

"And that's no problem. Right?" Aerith looked at everyone for their agreement and was happy to see that everyone was on the same boat as her. "Cloud, we're here for you. Remember what we talked about! Healing regiment!"

Cloud felt warm to see her smile the way she did. She was right.

Yes, he'll settle all his communications today. That included the ones with his friends right now, Tifa, and, perhaps later, Aerith.

And so, everyone perked up their ears to hear Cloud's story, one that they would've never expected to hear on a regular Wednesday's worth of work after hearing about Aerith's.

~Nine years ago~

_Nausea hit hard against his stomach as the feeling of it radiated through his body, causing the back of his head to ring in a dull pain that amplified the urge to vomit acidic juices as his eyes struggled to focus the blurry vision. Where was he? The last thing he remembered was seeing roaring flames, but now, all he saw was the eerily blue glow of the lab. He tried to move his hands, only to realize that they were restrained by rope as his arms rubbed painfully against the chair he was tied to._

" _Quiet down, you dog," a voice snarled. Footsteps that rang too loud in his ears approached as Cloud's head lulled in a desperate attempt to bring it upwards to face whoever spoke. A man in a long, white lab coat stood before him with a clipboard in his arms. He scribbled things in his notebook before he knelt down to look Cloud directly in the eyes. Then, he started to write down more things before standing back up._

" _Hojo, let the boy go," another person by the wall spoke. "You can do whatever you want with me, but let the innocent go."_

" _My boy, Zack, you think this is the time to play hero?" Hojo directed his attention away from the half-conscious blond and onto the first-class SOLDIER. Having already been exposed to the Jenova cells and mako, Zack had no difficulty in staying sane and unaffected by Hojo's experiments as he remained tied to chains on the wall instead of on a chair with ropes since he could've easily broken through them._

" _Hojo, look at the boy," Zack continued to growl as he pulled at his chains. The red underneath his wrists was visible as it rubbed its metallic texture painfully against his raw skin. "He's nearly half-gone. Anymore and he'll lose his mind! Are you insane?"_

_Hojo wasn't going to stand around listening to Zack's preach as he shoved a foot against the SOLDIER's stomach, knocking the air out of him as Zack wheezed for lost air._

" _Shut up, you," hissed Hojo as he spat in Zack's face. "It's your fault you killed my greatest project ever! Sephiroth was a one-of-a-kind creation. So perfect and so powerful! The strength that he harnessed was out of this world, and he was my gateway to ultimate power. Together, we could've traversed not only this Planet, but the universe! But you, you lowly existence," Hojo shoved the sharp heel of his shoe into Zack's stomach again, but this time, the SOLDIER held in his reaction so that he wouldn't satisfy the disgusting man. "You just_ _ **had**_ _to kill him! My greatest creation, defeated by the lowly likes of you! Who told you you could touch a single hair on his godly body!"_

" _He was slaughtering an entire village because of your guys' sick experiments!" Zack screamed as he tried to fight the chains again with no avail. "I had to go against a fellow SOLDIER, a fellow brother who went mad and started to kill because of you!"_

" _Blah, blah, blah, save your passionate and heroic speech for another time," Hojo cackled as he turned around and began to pace the sickening lab room. When he passed by Cloud, he ruffled his blond locks affectionately as if he was doting a loving pet. Cloud could only groan as he felt his head shake. "Zack, my dear, I hope you know that because of you, I have to accelerate my…_ _ **search**_ _for a replacement. Oh, sure, Sephiroth was a real gem indeed, but that doesn't mean I can't create another one of him."_

" _Don't you dare."_

" _Oh, but I will!" Hojo maniacally laughed as he took out a filled syringe out of his coat pocket. His gentle petting turned into hair pulling as he jerked Cloud's head back against the chair. From afar, Zack could see the poor boy's blank expression as he looked up at Hojo in empty curiosity. "I wish I could've picked up more bodies from that glorious fire, but SOLDIER troops began to storm the place before I could, so I'll just have to settle with you and this weakling right here. Alas, he's a little bit too weak for my tastes, but nothing this can't cure." And Hojo tapped the syringe with a flick of his fingers before he stabbed it into Cloud's arm, immediately eliciting howls of pain from the fourteen-year-old boy._

" _Stop! He's going to die!"_

" _Gotta push things to the limit to harness the most potential, right?" Hojo grinned wickedly before he went over to the side and pressed a button. From above Cloud's head, a vent began to open, and down came mako rains, showering the young boy with its luminescent green._

" _No, stop!" Zack mustered one last attempt to get out of his chains, but it was futile as his eyes averted away from Cloud to avoid witnessing the terrible event._

" _Argh!" Cloud screamed, and his cries of anguish bounced off every wall of the lab as he began convulsing in his chair. Every drop of mako that sunk into his skin burned as the young boy felt his mind shatter in a million pieces. Random fragments of his life flashed before his eyes before they got swallowed in darkness, never returning no matter how much he tried to hold on to them. He could feel parts of himself disappearing as the mako entered his system, degrading his existence bit by bit as the mako drenched his clothes and slipped into his mouth during his almost-inhuman screeches._

_Once he finished his mako exposure for the day, Hojo pressed the button to close the vent again before he went up to Cloud. His wrinkly hands tilted his head back as a thumb lifted his right eyelid up before he entered another episode of hysterical laughter._

" _Yes, finally! This wretched boy is finally accepting the mako! What a beautiful color, your eyes, my little dog!"_

_Cloud's now mako eyes were heavily glazed as he stared at Hojo. The professor merely patted his cheek before scribbling more notes on his clipboard. Zack could only watch in horror as the innocent boy lost consciousness and drooped his head over to the side. Hojo didn't even bother propping the boy back up when his chair fell sideways onto the ground, banging his head painfully against the metallic floors._

" _Now you two be nice, okay?" Hojo said mockingly as he wagged a finger at Zack. "I'll be back soon before you know it. Make sure the boy doesn't go dying on me just yet. Let out a holler if he does, though! Hahaha!"_

_When Hojo was out of the picture, Zack finally began talking to Cloud._

" _Cloud, do you hear me? You have to stay strong. Fight it, or else you'll lose yourself," Zack pleaded. Cloud remained unresponsive as his body laid limp, and Zack feared for the worst until the boy started to cough up mako._

" _Ugh," Cloud groaned unintelligently._

_Zack scanned his surroundings. There was no way the boy would survive another dose of Hojo's mako exposures. From the looks of it, one more session, and his mind would completely break and enter comatose._

" _Damn it," Zack cursed as he tugged on his chains. He had wanted to wait for the right moment to break out of his restraints with the small amount of magic left in his body. However, he knew he had to go now or else the boy before him would be goner. Being trapped in Hojo's sickening lab for over two weeks was enough for him to know when the safest hours were for a breakout. He had kept his eyes on his sword that hung by the opposite wall the entire time of his imprisonment, glad that no one took it away to a place outside of his reach._

_Pulling his resolve together for their sakes, Zack mustered all the strength he had left to break his chains. He knew there were cameras watching their every move, so every second was important. The moment the metal shattered under his magic, Zack instantly got up to his feet and ran across the room to grab his sword. Cutting Cloud's ropes, the SOLDIER heaved him over his shoulder as alarms instantly sounded._

" _Already?" Zack muttered. He had no other choice for an escape._

_Willing all of his magic, he blew a hole into the wall that faced the outside. Instantly, gusts of wind blew into the lab as they infiltrated the sixty-sixth floor of Shinra HQ. Having no other options, Zack had to resort to jumping down the ledges of the floors. He prayed that his feet wouldn't shatter and that his strength as a SOLDIER could compensate for the force, but if he didn't leave now, the both of them would die._

" _Hold on tight, Cloud," said Zack before he braved himself and jumped out of the lab through the hole._

_~.~.~_

" _Kunsel… is that…?"_

_One of the SOLDIERs tapped Kunsel on the shoulder when he was in the middle of grilling fish over fire. He looked at what he was pointing at and nearly dropped all of the food into the burning fireplace._

" _Zack?"_

_Kunsel stood up in excitement at the revelation that maybe his best friend survived the Nibelheim Incident and managed to find them in the midst of their traveling, but his happiness started to fade when he saw the unfamiliar blond hair on the figure's head from afar instead of black. Confusion readily drowned his senses when he saw the infamous sword that the figure lugged along behind his legs._

_Kunsel wasn't one to stick around and wait for things to come for him. He shoved the sticks to his fellow comrade before he ran up to the figure for a closer look. When he was able to distinguish the person's facial features, his stomach dropped as the realization of his best friend's unfortunate fate made itself clear. When the second-class SOLDIER was within speaking distance with the boy who couldn't be more than fifteen-years-old, Kunsel nearly slipped a tear when he confirmed the identity of the Buster Sword._

" _SOLDIER…" the young boy's mako eyes looked Kunsel's outfit up and down. His eyes twinkled as he wearily lifted his head up to speak. "Are you… SOLDIER?" Kunsel watched as the boy's skinny arms shook just by holding up the heavy sword at a forty-five-degree angle from the ground. Just how long did this young boy drag this sword around for?_

" _And you are…?"_

" _I-I'm Cloud," and the smile broke against his grimy face as hope filled up his very being at Kunsel's indirect confirmation. "I've been l-looking for you guys." Cloud glanced down at the precious sword in his hands as his grip on the hilt became tighter. "Zack… told me to find you guys."_

" _And where is he?" Kunsel immediately asked, even if it was rude for him to do so._

_The smile on Cloud's face dropped immediately, and it was then that Kunsel knew._

_Zack Fair died honorably._

" _Come," Kunsel croaked, not needing an answer from the poor, young boy. "You've come to the right place. Where do you live? We'll try to get you back home to safety, hm?"_

" _Home? No, I'm not going home," Cloud instantly shook his head, startling Kunsel._

" _No? Are you not here to seek our assistance?"_

" _I'm not going home," Cloud blurted. "I… don't have a home anymore. I want to fight."_

" _Fight? Surely, you are not being serious." Kunsel didn't mean any offense behind his words, but with the way the boy barely remained standing, his stance was not convincing. He peered into his newly-glowing mako eyes, but he knew that even with the mako, his body was rejecting it by the second._

" _Zack gave me his sword to fight. I want to join you guys. And fight Shinra."_

" _Cloud, right? I know how you feel, but someone as young as you don't need to join our cause. Come, we'll take you to a safer place and—"_

" _No!" Cloud held the sword away from Kunsel protectively when the SOLDIER tried to help him hold it. "He… passed down this sword to me. I'm not letting anyone have it."_

_Before Kunsel could persuade the young boy, his words died in his mouth when he took a closer look into his eyes._

_Revenge._

_Revenge screamed in his eyes despite his docile, soft facial features. It was at that moment that Kunsel realized that this boy went through a lot more than he could've imagined._

_Revenge, the most important ingredient for this rebellion._

_And before he knew it, Kunsel introduced their future-leader to everyone at the camping site._

~.~.~

When Cloud finished telling the story of how he joined the forces of SOLDIER, his friends remained speechless as they let all of it sink in.

From the side, Aerith secretly and silently slipped a tear not just for Cloud, but for _him_ , even though he had remained nameless the entire time Cloud told his tale. Though nameless, she knew.

Aerith clasped her hands underneath the table as she sent one final prayer before smiling bittersweetly.

_After all these years… I finally know what happened to you, Zack. Thank you for everything and… I hope your honor lives with you forever._


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, here's another quick update. It's because this chapter is short (like almost half as long as my usual chapters), and I wasn't planning on publishing it as a stand-alone like this, but I really felt like this chapter needed to stand on its own so that it its meaning doesn't get covered up by the other texts.
> 
> More A/N to show near the end haha.

"Well… guess I'll see you later. Three days, your friend said?"

"… yeah," confirmed Cloud.

Jessie nodded before she sighed and stretched her arms above her head. "I'm going to turn in for the night now, guys. I would usually drink my ass off, but I think two days' worth of terrible stories is enough to knock me out into nightmare land."

Aerith squealed when Jessie suddenly jumped on her for a hug.

"Jessie?" the Cetra let out questionably, but she nevertheless returned the hug.

Jessie released another depressing sigh as she let go of Aerith and went over to Cloud. Everyone was surprised to see her pull Cloud down by the neck for a hug as well, which shouldn't have been a shocker considering her naturally daring nature. What was even more surprising though was the way Cloud awkwardly returned the hug by patting her shoulder with one hand, and it was difficult to discriminate whether he meant to return it or to pull her off.

"My two dear friends who've gone through so much," Jessie laments dramatically as she let Cloud go and clasped her hands over her shoulder. Everyone knew she trying to lighten up the mood with her melodramatic act, but it was clear that she was just trying to mask all her emotions under a pretense. "Too much in two days. Too much. But alas, the night calls for me! Bye!"

"Rest up, Jessie," Tifa said as she gave the girl a comforting rub on the shoulder.

"Good to know more about you, man. Feel free to ask for my ears anytime." Biggs fist-bumped Cloud's shoulder before he bid everyone farewell too along with Wedge.

"You know, I always knew I was wrong about 'cha, even though you're a crazy lunatic out on the job," Barret began, but Cloud held up a hand to stop him.

"Let's cut the clichés out," Cloud deadpanned, successfully eliciting a growl out of the grown man.

"But always an asshole, remember that," Barret finished before he said goodbye to the girls. In less than a minute, only Cloud, Aerith, and Tifa stood inside the empty bar.

For mysterious reason unknown, Cloud suddenly felt awkward to be in the presence of just Aerith and Tifa alone. He would be somewhat fine with them on a one-on-one basis, but not when the both of them were next to him on both sides.

"Well, guess I'll head home too," Aerith groaned as she did some arm stretches across her chest. She grabbed her flower basket from the table and let out a heavy sigh as she managed a small smile. "I'm glad you could speak about yourself without those cursed headaches, right?"

"Wait, I'll walk you home," offered Cloud. He wanted some chance to talk to her too, but things were horribly pushed with the sudden encounter with Kunsel. Maybe he could've made up some lost time by bringing her back, but Aerith frowned as she shook her head.

"What did we say about walking me back from Sector 7? A waste of time and effort! I'll be fine."

Cloud knitted his eyebrows together, but he was never one to really push it once someone put in the final word. Plus, this was Aerith he was fighting against. He sighed before nodding. "Get back home safe."

"Will do! Oh, but one quick thing…"

"Hm?"

When Aerith pointed a finger at him, Cloud pointed a finger at himself, confused. He mouthed a "what" before she motioned towards her back. He blinked once while Aerith nodded happily. Tifa simply stood by the side in amusement and wondered why the two couldn't just use words.

"Sword," said Aerith vaguely.

Cloud grasped for the hilt behind him and unhooked his sword from his back. He thought that was something wrong with it and Aerith was just pointing it out, but when he saw nothing of the sorts, he quirked a brow up. "What about it?"

"Is it okay if I just… touch it for a bit?"

The request was so strange that Cloud wordlessly swung it lightly a bit with ease to test it out before he carefully handed it over to her without asking. He made sure he still had a grip on in just in case the weight of it didn't topple over her. Years had he carried it around wherever he went, and with his mako-infused strength, it was as light as a feather for him.

Aerith let out a small yelp when she felt its entire weight under her two hands. Cloud steadied it for her before he finally voiced out his thoughts. "Care to explain why you suddenly want to check it out?"

"Just 'cause," Aerith winked before she laid a gentle hand on the blade.

Both Cloud and Tifa stood in confusion at the Cetra's actions. Her hand swept across the flat of the blade smoothly as she smiled a small smile at it. The fond look she had in her eyes was unexplainable as Cloud observed her every movement. It was as if she was caressing a delicate piece of silk as her fingers ran down the sleek metal.

"Okay," she breathed not long after. She handed it back to Cloud, and he effortlessly swung it up and back onto his back. "I'll get going now," and she summoned her staff.

"Gonna be okay?"

"Of course. I'll see in you in three days."

Cloud's slow mind took way too long to realize how Aerith just laid him off for the next two days. "Three days? I'm not bodyguarding Thursday and Friday?"

"Ah. Consider it a break," she hummed. "I just need some air from my flowers for the next two days. Nothing to worry about."

"… Okay."

Without further ado, Aerith waved happily at Cloud and Tifa before she joined the rest of the crew in their departure, never turning to look back as she stepped out the bar and began her small journey back to Sector 5.

Something about Aerith didn't feel right to him ever since he told her his story, but he waved it off as insignificant; everyone was tired, and so was he.

"Guess we'll turn in too?" Tifa twinkled as she patted Cloud on the shoulder and went behind the counter to tidy things up before she put her bar to sleep for the night. Cloud settled his sword against the counter seat next to him and pulled off his gloves before he sat down, piquing Tifa's questions.

"Got some spare time?" inquired Cloud.

"What, you don't want go just yet?" Tifa chuckled. She signaled towards the line of drinks. "Is it that time for Cloud Strife?"

"… You know I don't like drinking."

"C'mon, don't make me drink alone."

"… Something hard."

"You gotcha."

Cloud watched with a fist propping up his face as Tifa prepared the both of them late-night drinks. When she finished, she slid the drink over to him.

"So," Tifa pulled a chair from her side and sat across from him, her own drink cupped between her hands as she looked at Cloud with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. Cloud looked away, rolling his eyes in the process.

"So," he responded back.

"Seems like you still haven't patched up your little mishap with Aerith."

Cloud scoffed as he took a sip out of his drink. He instantly winced when the bitterness hit his tongue and dragged down his throat as he nearly coughed it back up in the process. He glared at Tifa who obviously took advantage of the preference in his order. He settled it over to the side, determined to leave it there untouched for the rest of the night.

"There was no mishap," he lied, but he wondered why he even tried to hide it when Tifa burst out laughing before she took a huge gulp out of her own drink. Cloud widened his eyes a bit; she was drinking a bit fast.

"Please, I'm a grown woman too," she teased. "I can imagine what fell through the roof when a man like you and a beautiful woman like Aerith are together in a room. Alone."

"Nothing you're thinking about happened."

"Well, I know _that._ This is Cloud we're talking about."

That made him more ticked off than he would've thought, so his sworn promise not to touch his glass for the remainder of the night was quickly broken as he grabbed it and drank another mouthful.

"Anyway, I'm not sitting here to talk about my relations with certain people," Cloud sighed. "I wanted to talk to you."

"Hey, me too."

Cloud raised both his eyebrows, and before he could voice out his concern, Tifa laughed as she poured herself another glass. "You're so quick to get worried, hm? You weren't a person who showed it so easily before, but I always knew your concern for people is oddly very strong."

"Hey, Tifa, maybe you should slow down," Cloud proved her point when he gently grabbed onto her wrist to stop her from downing another shot. "You're not one to rush a drink. Something bothering you?"

"Just let me have my moment," she giggled. He automatically let her go and watched her with uneasiness as she downed her second glass and poured her third. "I need some of this in my system or else you won't hear a word from me. Pathetic, isn't it?"

Cloud frowned disapprovingly. "You're anything but pathetic."

"Aw, says who?"

"Says me," Cloud said without any hesitance. "I'm speaking to the person who managed to survive a touch from Sephiroth's sword, found a living, and built her own damn bar. Of course, I'll give Barret some thick-skinned credit for helping you out, but…" he shook his head and offered her a microscopic smile, "Beats me."

"I don't find any of it too extraordinary," disagreed Tifa, "Gotta do what you gotta do to live around here. You should've seen me before I built the bar. I looked like a man since I had to had to have my hair in a pixie cut or else it would get in the way of all the heavy-lifting I had to do. None of the men took me seriously." She flexed her impressive biceps. "You don't see these on a female these days, do you?"

"You're silly," Cloud muttered, but he nonetheless gave her a smirk. "Now your hair's all annoyingly long. Give it another cut, hm?"

Tifa gathered all her hair over one shoulder, admiring its silkiness underneath the lights of her bar. "Hell no! Ever since I've been able to live easier, I've been taking care of it like it's my own baby."

"Sure," and he surprised her by threading some of her hair through his fingers. When he realized what he was doing, he immediately pulled away and cleared his throat awkwardly. "Sorry. Habit."

"That's a really long-living habit," Tifa barely managed to not stutter as she collected her hair and swung it over her back again. While Cloud was not affected by their close interactions, Tifa was the opposite story as she downed her third glass of hard liquor. Cloud made sure to keep counting so that he could stop her anytime, silently challenging Jessie to a one-sided battle since he was still unconvinced how she managed to let loose Aerith that one time.

"Anyway, you first," Cloud brought their attentions back to the reason why they sat together. "I feel like what I've got to say is kind of long."

"Wow, and you think I don't have much to say?"

"… didn't mean it like that. Okay, I'll start first th—"

Cloud abruptly had to stand up when Tifa circled around the counter and pulled him up by the arm. He let out a sound of surprise when Tifa started to swing them all around the inside of the bar, avoiding any potential collisions with the tables and chairs.

"Wouldn't you think they would have a dance or two for celebration at topside?" Tifa sighed dreamily. Tifa placed her hands on Cloud's shoulders as she smiled at his slightly irritated expression. "C'mon, humor me for a little bit. I'm a bit rusty. Maybe I'll catch myself a topside guy in three days."

"Quit joking," Cloud huffed as he awkwardly hovered his hands over her shoulders. However, seeing how she was adamant about this spontaneous dance practice, he gave up and rested his hands lightly on her waist. He didn't look her in the eye; it had been a while since they were this close to each other, and he wouldn't be lying if he said he wasn't comfortable.

When Tifa started to lead him, Cloud was in for a tumble of clumsy steps as she guffawed at his inelegance.

"No, you're the man—you're supposed to lead. No, you're gonna—ow!"

"Okay, well sorry that I don't plan on dancing at all," Cloud snapped, agitated with the way Tifa kept making fun of him, but he still apologized for accidentally stepping on her foot.

"At all? Then how are you going to take Aerith off for a dance?" Tifa teased.

"I don't plan to. Are you done now or—"

"Cloud, I love you."

…

…

…

"Huh?" was the only thing Cloud could dumbly slip out as all his mental functions ceased to work. Tifa laughed at his stupor before she let him go, distanced herself from him, and clasped her hands tightly behind her back.

"Is it that much of a surprise?" She tilted her head to the side as she tried to establish eye contact with him, but Cloud stepped away from her as he put a hand up to his forehead, completely shocked.

"Tifa, I—"

"You don't have to say anything back, y'know. Your reaction says enough already, hehe. Gosh, it's hot in here. I think I drank too much."

Tifa began to ramble as she tried to lighten up the mood. However, Cloud wasn't catching onto her flow as he shook his head to get himself out of the gutter. He sighed before letting his hand fall and training his eyes back to the woman before him.

"Tifa, you're really important to me," he confessed, being very delicate with each word he spoke. When he thought about it, it was the first time he ever told her that straight from his own mouth. "I… don't know where I would be without you."

"If I was so important, how come I wasn't able to do anything for you for the past five years?"

Her love confession dove deeper into something else when Tifa bitterly looked away and went back over to the counter to sit down. Cloud followed her, already feeling his cogs working again as he comprehended what she just said.

"I would like to say that you're wrong, but maybe I should hear an explanation first," Cloud furrowed his eyebrows, not afraid to show his disagreement. When Tifa reached for her drink again, he took it away from her. "Don't let the alcohol do all the talking."

"Sometimes I don't know how to face you, Cloud," answered Tifa. "Sometimes… you become a person I don't know, and I don't know what to do about it."

Cloud's earlier tendencies began to show as he looked away from her. "Well, I'm sorry that I'm not the same person as be—"

"No! That's not what I meant. Cloud, I… like you just the way you are," Tifa shook her head to prove her point, "I don't see the past in you anymore. That's what I always wanted to say, but coward me was never able to. Finally, now that you suddenly seem approachable now, my spineless back is able to finally have the spotlight, hm?

"Tif—"

"All those years, you suffered alone, and only today did I ever learn more about you." Tifa was a strong woman—this, Cloud believed in with one-hundred percent confidence—and to see her begin crying meant something. "All I ever did was just sit around being so useless, unable to help you whenever you needed it. I never tried to do anything to make it better because I was just so scared. I was too afraid to be pushed away and rejected, so I never tried to pull you out of the past. Because I was too scared! Too scared to speak up for someone so precious to me!"

Cloud wordlessly stepped out of his seat to hug her, chin laying on her shoulder as he sighed and patted her back soothingly. She freely let out her tears as she clutched on the fabrics at his shoulders tightly, afraid that he would suddenly go away again. "Maybe things would've been different if I had just done things better. Maybe you wouldn't have had to suffer all those terrible hallucinations that you had to endure before Aerith came if I had just been a little bit braver with my thoughts. 'You're fine just the way you are. Your new eye color is beautiful. Get out of this dark room and let's go for a walk. Stop dying of guilt because nothing is your fault. Stop apologizing to me because you've done nothing wrong. Cloud, you're so important to me, so I just want to see you happier. I'm here for you, always and forever. Talk to me, Cloud, because I want to know. Let it out and depend on me for once.' If only I was able to say even one of these sentences, things would've been different. You and I, we could've been—"

"Tifa, you've given me more than you know. Much more than any of those words could've given me," Cloud interrupted. He regretted it—not telling her sooner how much he appreciated everything she did for him before and now. Aerith was right, to let a person know how precious and important they were, but he was too dumb and too stubborn to realize it. Now, as he held Tifa tightly in his arms, did the revelation dawned on him.

How long did Tifa have to shoulder this weight that could've been so easily dispelled if he had just uttered a simple "thank you"?

"Are you just trying to make me feel better?" Tifa sniffed, not believing his words. "Because I—"

"I would've been lost if I hadn't met you here five years ago," Cloud interrupted. "If it weren't for you, I think I would still be out there, wondering around the Planet uselessly without a purpose. You gave me a home, Tifa, and you never gave up on me. You showed me what it meant to have friends, to have a community—something I never had since Nibelheim burned down. All these things that you've given me… it's more than I could ever ask for from you. So stop crying because none of my 'suffering' was ever something for you to take on."

Cloud made the motion to let her go, but Tifa still clung on to him as she took a few moments to collect herself. He didn't mind as he continued to give her back comforting pats, having a sense of how much his words meant to her as he felt an unfamiliar wetness on his shoulder.

"When were you ever so thoughtful?" she laughed before finally letting him go. Some tears remained as she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, but her smile nevertheless broke through as she finally looked him in the eyes. "What kind of magic did Aerith cast to make you suddenly so good with words?"

"Hey, I didn't receive any coaching about this from her," he said, eyes narrowed as he took some offense. "She didn't tell me what to say."

"Of course. I know. Ugh, crying is so lame, isn't it?" Tifa sniffed again. Cloud simply shook his head.

"That's not true."

"That's what I love about you."

Again, strange words he never thought would ever come out of Tifa's mouth hit him at a strange place in his heart. They pulled at his heartstrings, but not in the way he thought it would have. Knowing now how he felt about the raven-haired, Cloud's gaze softened as he let out a shaky breath.

"I… loved you too."

This was enough to cause Tifa to burst out crying against as she tried to laugh it away.

"You didn't have to say it out loud, you know!"

"… Then what was I supposed to say?"

Tifa shook her head as she took a couple of deep breaths. "You didn't need to say anything because… I'm just glad that I was able to say it, and that you were able to listen so intently. It feels like a huge burden has finally lifted off my chest." To emphasize it she held a hand over her rapidly beating heart. "Besides, I already know that your heart has been taken away by someone else."

Under normal circumstances, Cloud would've flatly denied it with a straight face, but because of the tender atmosphere between them, he didn't. Instead, he just glowed a faint red as he felt exposed by Tifa's ever-watchful eyes.

"Do you like her?" Tifa pegged for an answer teasingly. When he refused to answer for her sake, Tifa gently bumped his arm with a fist. "Cloud, you were never attentive to things like 'feelings,'" she quoted the air, "You won't hurt mine. Promise. Because… I just want to be by your side like always. I don't want anything to change. If that's okay with you."

"Of course, it's okay," Cloud instantly answered. "I wanted to talk to you today just to let you know how important you are to me, not to suddenly lose you."

"… Thank you, Cloud. For everything."

"… Yeah. Me too."

Tifa reached out for Cloud's hand and squeezed it between her own two before she let go and let out a huge groan as she stretched. "Okay! Enough of this! Is our talk done? Because I'm feeling real sleepy now."

"Yeah." Cloud remained short with his words since he didn't know what else to say. When Tifa's smile lingered a bit longer than was necessary, Cloud knew that she was just trying to hide her emotions. Not wanting her to strain herself for the rest of the night, Cloud gestured towards the door to finish everything up.

"I'm looking forward to going to topside!" was the last thing Tifa said when they were in front of their doors. Cloud let out a grunt before he bid her goodnight and entered his room.

That night, Tifa's cries were audible no matter how much she tried to muffle it—the walls were thin after all. However, Cloud couldn't go over there no matter how much he wanted to as he laid on his bed, eyes staring at the white popcorn ceiling all night as he stayed up with Tifa spiritually from the other side of the wall.

Despite his concern, he knew Tifa would be okay. She was strong, and she was independent. Time was everyone's best friend, even if it seemed unreliable sometimes.

For him, it was definitely unreliable, but as of late, maybe he could regain some confidence in it.

When he heard Tifa's soft sobs dim into nothingness, Cloud turned to his side and allowed sleep to takeover as well. Instead of dreaming green and flowers this time, he dreamed about Nibelheim—his home, not the fire. He dreamed about his mother, and he dreamed about his fourteen-year-old self with fourteen-year-old Tifa, sitting on the water tower together as the stars twinkled above them like guardians of the universe.

Home.

He was finally back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry hardcore clerith shippers: This was a Tifa-centric chapter LOL. Even in the OG story, Tifa's really important to Cloud, so it kinda hurts to see so many anti's and these crazy shipwars (ESPECIALLY ON TWITTER DAMN SOMETHING'S ROASTING IN THERE LOL) While I'm more on the Clerith side of things, I really like Tifa, and she's not a bitch (I read too many love triangles where the other female character is like trying to sabotage everything, which Tifa obviously isn't trying to do here).
> 
> This chapter is kind of a resolution with all the hints of Cloti I've dropped throughout the fic. I thought long and hard how this chapter would turn out, and lol it didn't meet my expectations, but I hope some of you enjoyed this!
> 
> I will respond to a couple of reviews from last chapter in the next chapter! Great to see so many people reviewing LOL HAHA MUCH LOVE TY TY TY SO MUCH You guys are actually making this possible, so thank you very much. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and gained some sentimental value from it haha (and I hope I didn't fk it up)


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally, after the 14th chapter, I finally know to copy and paste my work into the rich text instead of limited HTML SO THAT MY ITALICS AND BOLDED WORDS CAN ACTUALLY GO THROUGH HOLY GOD HAHAHHA it really does change the voice of the story
> 
> SO GUYS PLS ENJOY THIS NEWLY ENRICHED TEXT WITH ITALICS THAT SHOULD'VE BEEN HERE SINCE CH1 LOLOLOL
> 
> This is a extra long chapter just for you guys (since I had thought about cutting it in half) but since I didn't want you guys to suffer, I just decided to just post the whole thing hehe
> 
> Love your comments guys, it fuels me to write for y'all despite my busy schedule as a college student lol so ty ty ty so much love, so glad that you guys are enjoying this. more a/n near the end haha

"So, do you have any idea why we got called over to Aerith's?"

Jessie kicked the rock that was by the side and watched it fly over and disappear to a patch of grass. Tifa led the way by crossing the bridge to Aerith's home before she shrugged her shoulders; she was just as lost as Jessie as to why the Cetra suddenly called for their presence in the middle of the day, something she had never done before. Cloud was back in Sector 7 too, helping the guys out with their daily jobs and hunts since Aerith had him off of bodyguarding for a few days, so it was just Tifa and Jessie as they traveled to Sector 5.

"Why, scared?" Tifa chuckled as they made it half way over to the front door. "I'm sure Aerith has moved past your behavior."

"Only a person with a heart of gold could just forget it," Jessie rolled her eyes. "You don't know how bad I feel. Towards Aerith. Towards Cloud. And even you, Tifa." She sighed when they reached the front door, not yet knocking on it. "At the end, I'm just the same narrow-minded me I've always been.

"Now don't say that," Tifa kindly disagreed. "I understand, and I'm pretty sure Aerith and Cloud do too. It's a learning process, right? We all learned a lot of things this week—we're all in it together, so you're not alone."

Jessie only grunted in response before she knocked firmly two times on the door. In less than five seconds, footsteps could be heard from behind the it before it swung open, revealing a happy Aerith as she drank in the sight of the women.

"Yay, you guys are here!"

Aerith dragged them by the arm past the door and into her homely abode, closing and locking it in the process. By the side in the kitchen stood Elmyra as she greeted the two women while she cleaned the table from their past meal.

"Why, hello there. Seems like my daughter has brought her friends over again. That's reassuring."

"Who do you think I am, a social loser, Mom?" Aerith jokingly quipped back with her hands on her hips. She shook her head as she feigned offense. "I have a _lot_ of friends! I just haven't brought them over as often."

"Whatever you say," Elmyra said unconvincingly. "Now go on with what you have planned today. Wouldn't want little old me to interrupt the party."

"Aw, Mom, in my eyes, you are eternal," and Aerith ran over to her mother's side to give her a quick peck on the cheek before she got shooed away.

"Very nice place you have here, Aerith. Didn't have the chance to say so last time," Tifa remarked in awe at all the handcrafted decorations splattered across the entire house. From handmade wreathes to paper flowers and both oil and watercolor paintings, the efforts to give the home both a homey and hospitable feeling was apparent. It said a lot about Aerith's character as well in many ways.

"Hehe, thanks," said Aerith. "A bit uselessly big to the point where my mom has to hire some people to manage it, but it'd be a great place to have a party now that I have people to invite over!" She led the two up the stairs and towards her room, but slowly so that the two could see all the crafts that hung on the walls. When she reached the door, Tifa finally spoke up about the sudden invite to the Cetra's home.

"So, any important reason why we're here?" she asked hesitantly. After two days of very heavy-hearted things—especially on her side as a listener—Tifa wasn't sure if she could handle another day of bagging emotional weight on her rather fragile heart.

"Of course, it's important!" Aerith's big smile was enough to cast all away her doubts as she gave the Cetra a curious look. Jessie was the same as Aerith opened the door to her room, allowing the two women to gaze into the depths of her private space.

"What the fu—" Jessie had to self-clamp her mouth with a hand so that the unladylike-curse didn't slip through. Tifa wasn't any better though as her eyes blinked rapidly to absorb the near-atrocious sight.

Where was the floor?"

"Guys, you don't know how _hard_ it is to decide!" Aerith fussed dramatically as she skipped between open spaces on her wooden floors, avoiding the mess with her nimble feet. "And I figured the best way was to get some opinions from two fair ladies such as you two!"

Scattered across the floor were mounts and mounts of dresses laid flat and straight so that beholders could examine every inch and detail of the front face of the fabrics. Her bed wasn't spared either as a row of dresses covered its entirety as well. Aerith paid Tifa's and Jessie's look of slight horror no attention as she ushered for them to come in instead of standing by the door to gawk at the tornado-blown room.

"W-what is all of this?" Jessie dared to question as she made sure not to step on any of the delicate cloth. Never in her life had she seen so many exotic and beautifully-designed dresses before in once place, even as an actress on the side. The costumes that she normally wore were sowed with cheap material, so none of them were on par with any of the dresses laying on Aerith's floor.

"We're not going to topside dressed like this, are we?" Aerith signaled with her two hands down her slender body and then towards Tifa's and Jessie's. The two women glanced down at themselves in slight embarrassment for being called out. Of course, they hadn't planned on going to an extravagant party in their work clothes, but they hadn't planned on wearing anything remotely as flashy as the dresses within Aerith's possessions either. And it wasn't because they didn't want to—they just didn't have anything similar.

"Um, no?" Tifa answered lamely.

Immediately at the raven-haired's meek tone, Aerith grabbed a random, blue dress in the corner of her room and pinned it against Tifa's shoulders, her eyes imagining what it would look like on her if she wore it. Shaking her head in disapproval, Aerith tossed it to the side as if it was some flimsy piece of paper before she grabbed another dress and pinned it up against Jessie this time.

"Hope you guys have a lot of time in your hands because we're going to geek out tonight," Aerith murmured analytically as she tossed that dress to the side as well to join its discarded friend. "I have so many useless dresses, I'm sure you'll find the right one for you among my secret stash. We gotta show topside people that us kids from the slums got some style too!"

To say that she wasn't comfortable would be an understatement. Tifa had never experienced this type of thing before, especially from someone like Aerith, so as she stood in the room bombarded with dresses, she wasn't sure how she was supposed to act in this kind of situation. "Aerith, we certainly wouldn't want to impose," argued Tifa as she tried to stop the Cetra's advancements. "You don't need to do this for u—"

"Aren't we friends?"

Tifa and Jessie widened their eyes when Aerith began to pout as her excitement died. Her hands bunched up the dress in her hold before she let it drop and went back over to the two. "Was it silly of me to think that we could've had a girls' night before we went to topside? Well, I wouldn't want to make you uncomfortable, so—"

"Aw, Aerith, that's not it. We just," Tifa looked over to Jessie, who was still unable to let go of her behavior just a few days ago towards the Cetra, "weren't expecting such a warm welcome. And a lot of things happened so…"

Jessie nearly jumped out of her shoes when Aerith reached out to grab her two hands with her own. She smiled at the woman kindly with no hints of anger on her delicate face as she shook her head.

"A lot has happened indeed, but that shouldn't stop us from having fun, right?" Aerith gripped onto Jessie tightly as she tried to convey to the brunette her feelings. "We deserve to enjoy ourselves. Don't let what has happened this week weigh you down because honestly, everything is fine and is going to be okay. We gotta look forward, not back, right?"

Jessie looked away, unable to look at her in the eyes. "Aerith, I'm… I'm sorr—"

"No need for another apology because I already know. You too, Tifa! So, turn those frowns upside down because we have a _lot_ of dresses to try out. Come, come, feel free to ransack my closet!"

Aerith let go of Jessie and returned to the dress she just dropped. She held it up for them to see before she grinned wickedly. "We gotta woo some boys with our girl power, right?"

Tifa and Jessie gave each other one last look before their uneasy masks drained away, their facial features instantly relaxing. With Aerith's assuring push, the two women comfortably entered the depths of Aerith's sea of dresses.

"Okay, honestly, I think orange looks pretty good on me despite unpopular opinions," Jessie hopped back into her game as she sifted through the wide range of choices. "Good luck finding Tifa a dress though because, holy shit, she got one _gigantic_ bust."

"Jessie!" Tifa exclaimed, the red instantly flooding her face as she gave the brunette a good whack on the shoulder. "How dare you!"

"I preach _truth_!"

Aerith erupted into mirthful laughter as she joined Jessie on the floor to search for the right dress. She pointed to her second closet which was left unopened, willing the jaws of Tifa's and Jessie's to drop open—just how much clothes did this woman have?

It wasn't long before all three became completely comfortable with each other as they held dresses up at each other's necks and stripped to try them on. Jessie had no problem slinking her figure into the frills since her body shape was similar to Aerith's, but Tifa unfortunately couldn't say the same as every dress she tried hugged her chest area a little bit too tightly.

"What did I say, hm, what did I say?" Jessie tsk'ed with her tongue. Her hands were busy as she tried to zip up the back of a short, blue dress. "Tifa's going to be hard. Have fun with that."

Aerith went over to help Jessie, earning a small thanks of gratitude from her. She then circled Tifa, capturing an estimate of her measurements as she let out a thoughtful hum. Tifa could only remain red in embarrassment at her small—or, rather, _big_ —problem.

"No, I'm sure I've had a dress or two where they just couldn't fit me," Aerith mumbled as she swung over to her second closet. She rummaged through it before she let out a successful "a-ha!" Taking the treasure out, she held it up to Tifa. "How about this?"

"Gosh, don't you think it's a bit…" Tifa turned the dress with a hand, only for her horrified stare to intensify, " _revealing_?"

"Pish posh, I know a couple of topside people, and I _know_ this wouldn't stop them. This seems to be a good fit for you! Come, come, try it on!"

"Hey, Aerith, I think I found the dress for me. What do you think?"

Aerith turned her gaze over to Jessie before she clapped her hands happily. "It looks _wonderful_ on you, Jessie!"

"My single ass won't be single any longer," said the brunette menacingly. "Time to snag some eyes at topside, the three of us."

"Yup!"

"Haha, yup," Tifa wasn't as into the cheers as the other two were, but that didn't stop her from joining their spirits. Surprised that Aerith seemed pretty confident about the whole ordeal on meeting other men, she wondered how things would turn out before she knowingly smiled to herself.

Cloud was on his own with this one.

So, as the day passed by into a night full of giggles, the three women was able to choose their outfits for the upcoming magical night.

~Saturday, the Day of the Fifth Anniversary Since Shinra's Defeat~

"Just say your name and they'll let you in."

"You sure they won't keep me out because of a grudge?"

"Cloud, of course not. It's been five years, and there's nobody here who would discredit your efforts during the rebellion."

"Oh, yeah, _definitely_. Like Luxiere, right?"

"… Minus him. Okay, look, I gotta go, okay? I gotta help set the stage up and everything, but I'll see you soon once you're inside!"

"Sure. Bye."

Cloud ended the call with Kunsel and shoved it back into his pocket. He sighed as he looked at the door of the women's changing area with fire in his eyes. Biggs, Wedge, and Barret had their patience run thin as well as the four men waited for the three women to just come out already. They had said something about having an "ultimate preparation" that the men would never understand and locked themselves in there for nearly an hour. Other women had entered and exited the same area in their glamorous dresses, so it was a no-brainer as to what they were doing in there. However, no one had stayed in there as long as them, and the line to enter the ballroom of what used to be Shinra Headquarters began to stretch around the circumference of the cylindrical building.

"You know, I would've thought that being at topside and admiring all the architecture around this place would be enough to entertain me, but _lord_ , what are they _doing_ in there?" Biggs exasperated as he ran a hand through his gelled hair. He had taken the effort to wear something nicer than usual with a pair of slacks and a random navy-blue dress shirt, and so had Wedge and Barret. However, Cloud didn't share the same idea as he sported his usual SOLDIER uniform, but it was alright since it distinguished him as a person who this celebration was for. Other men were the same as they wore their uniforms from back in the days.

"Yeah, all these glass windows sure are amazing though," Wedge joined in as his eyes never stopped looking at what was above his head. The tall, sky-reaching tower was lined with glass windows that reflected the lights of the cities from down below. Next to them by the streets were cars, which were rarities among the slums. The people around them weren't any different from the spectacles they saw as women adorned expensive jewelry to pair with their flamboyant dresses while men wore suits that were probably worth more than any of their salaries for an entire year. Even their chattering sounded exquisite as snippets of their conversations about the stock market whistled into their ears.

Barret on the side made sure his big, clumsy hands didn't spill a drink on anybody tonight or else he would have to spend the rest of his life just to pay off the laundry bill.

"So, you've been here before, Spikey?" Barret grumbled as his eyes stopped moving to rest. "This Shinra HQ?"

"Once," answered Cloud curtly. "When we killed Shinra."

"Ah, I see."

It was clear to everyone that Cloud was _not_ happy to be here. His arms were constantly tucked against his chest while his sword ever-so-subtly gleamed its mighty intimidation against the moonlight. His eyes were sharp as he surveyed his surroundings. If someone told his friends that there was going to be some sort of secret bombing mission happening during the party, they would believe it with the way Cloud never let his guard down, even with the whole festive mood drowning the atmosphere.

"Lighten up, why don't you?" Biggs went up to clap the stoic on the shoulder, attempting to shake away the constant glower staining his handsome face, but it never disappeared. "We're here to have fun, not to kill everyone with those eyes of yours."

"You're more than welcome to have fun," sighed Cloud as he brushed the hand off. "Just don't embarrass me." And his eyes made sure to land themselves on Barret.

"Why your dumb little ass always gotta single me out like that every time, huh?" snarled Barret as he cocked his gun threateningly, but it only proved Cloud's point as he let out another sigh and put a hand to his forehead.

"Make sure you watch him for me, won't you?"

Biggs chuckled. "Of course."

After what seemed like an eternity of suffering, signs of life from the three girls finally showed themselves when Tifa emerged from behind the doors. From afar, Cloud hadn't noticed what kind of clothes she had changed into, but when she was finally close enough for him to visibly see the outlines of her figure and face, his eyes instantly flew open.

"Really, Tifa, _really?_ " Cloud didn't try to hide his disapproval as his eyes scanned her once from head to toe. Barret had to rub his eyes while Biggs and Wedge shamelessly gawked at her. Cloud was about to make another comment about her outfit, but when he realized how he didn't really have any right to, he simply just shook his head and jerked it towards the direction of the doors. "Where are the other two?"

"They're still getting ready. Almost done," Tifa informed before she frowned at Cloud's negative reaction. She looked down at herself before she shook her head. "What's wrong with my dress, hm?"

Almost every outline of Tifa's fit waist was highlighted as her violet dress hugged her tightly at the hips. When she turned around and gathered her hair over a shoulder to show off the other side, it was as if the entire back of her dress was carved out with a knife; the delicate skin of her back was fully exposed as it glistened its softness from underneath the light. While her chest hung provocatively in the front and through the deep cuts down her sides, her slender legs ran elegantly down to meet the violet heels that matched her dress. There were people who dressed in a more scandalous fashion than her, but that didn't keep the looks away.

When Cloud saw wolves literally eating her alive with their eyes, he shook his head one final time before he let it go. He didn't need to be protective over her—if any guy dared to touch the beautiful woman before him, they'd get a knuckle sandwich right up their jaw from the beauty herself.

"Would it kill for them to come out faster?" For emphasis, Cloud tapped the imaginary watch on his wrist as he gestured towards the ever-elongating line. "We could've avoided this half an hour ago if you ladies could've picked up the pace a little bit."

"Don't rush us women," scolded Tifa before she clicked her tongue in disappointment. "These things take time and preparation. This is a rare night for us. Don't make it go sour with your impatience!"

Tifa wagged a finger side-to-side in front of Cloud's face, earning a swat from his hand as he crossed his arms again and waited for the other two to come out. He didn't understand why the girls were coming out one at a time rather than at the same time with each other when Jessie was the next one to reveal her outfit for the night. Dressed in a shimmering, orange dress that graced her ankles, Jessie had her hair down for once as she turned around for Cloud to see the entirety of its beauty. It had a cut from below her waist to the end of her dress to reveal one smooth leg, which peeked out with an orange heel that could've killed someone if used as a weapon. While her dress didn't hug as tightly as Tifa's, it still showed off the curves of her body as her dress hung on her shoulders by spaghetti straps.

Cloud blinked when Jessie ran a hand down his chest seductively and gave him a wink.

"Last chance to take me into your arms, Pretty Boy, hm?" Jessie suggested as she gave him a sultry smile. "Before I go and get whisked off my feet tonight by someone else."

"Make sure your heels don't kill you before then," was his flat response as he took her hand off of him and stepped back for space. Rolling her eyes at his typical and expected response, Jessie went over to Biggs to let him gawk at her next.

Now that only Aerith was left, Cloud was beginning to really ponder why it was taking her so long. After seeing Tifa and Jessie, he would be lying if he said his interest to see what she wore wasn't piqued just by a smudge.

"Excited to see her, aren't you?" teased Tifa, poking him by the arm. He gave her a seemingly uninterested shrug.

"Not really."

After another age of eternity, Aerith finally emerged from the women's changing area, and when she was finally visible in detail from afar…

Cloud Strife shamelessly had his breath taken away.

Wonderfully shaping her elegant frame was a red dress that cascaded its magnificence onto the ground in layers of graceful frills. Her cleavage showed modestly yet alluringly behind the strapless pads of her dress while a thin necklace lined her neck and rested beautifully against her porcelain skin. Intricate red ribbons and flowers ran their way down through the curls of her ponytail, brushing against her bare back teasingly.

When she finally stood in front of Cloud in all of her beautiful glory, he still couldn't shake off his daze in order to put back on his usual expressionless mask.

"Sorry for the wait, putting these things in my hair took _forever_. Sorry about that too, Tifa and Jessie."

"Girl, you look like a _doll_ ," Jessie squealed as she went over to the Cetra and patted her lightly on the cheeks just so that she wouldn't smudge the minimal make-up on her face. "All the guys are going to legit bend over and just _fall_ for you!"

"Aw, Jessie, the same could be said to you! You really should put your hair down more often. You're so pretty! And Tifa, you look _gorgeous._ I'm sorry we couldn't find you a better dress, but you still look _so_ good."

"No, this is more than I could've asked for. I'm just so glad I can stand next to you guys without feeling like the odd one out."

The three girls fangirled over themselves as they kept showering each other with compliments and love. The excitement they had for the party was contagious as the guys finally shaved off their impatience from waiting so that their spirits for the celebration could be heightened as well.

"Cloud? Are you okay?"

Cloud learned how to breath again when he blinked three times at Aerith before he cleared his throat and muttered a weak, "'Scuse me." Catching onto his stupor, Jessie smiled mischievously before she circled Aerith and clasped her by the shoulders from behind.

"Doesn't she look absolutely stunning in this dress? She practically insisted in not wear something so 'gaudy' like this but the both of us forced her into it. Pretty, isn't she?"

Cloud was put on the spot as everyone, even the guys from behind him, waited for his answer. Aerith's glowing, green eyes didn't help in the cause either as she looked at him expectantly and shyly, hands held together in front of her as she grew nervous in front of the eyes of the handsome man. His mouth moved in an attempt to say something nice, to say how amazing she looked tonight not just to be nice, but also to let her know how enamored he was to see her in such a gorgeous dress. His mouth moved, but he said something completely different from what his mind had planned.

"Aren't you cold?"

Everyone's mouths immediately dropped open at his response before many sighs met the suddenly chilling air, and it wasn't because of the temperature drop. Jessie rapidly batted her curled eyelashes at the blond before she slowly let go of Aerith's shoulders and let her arms drop back to her sides in disappointment. He didn't get why Jessie gave him a death stare when she passed by before she let out a cheerful "woo" and went over to join the growing line. Not wanting to bask in the awkwardness Cloud just distilled, the rest of the gang quickly followed Jessie out, and when Tifa passed by his side, she whispered, "Nice going," to him before she skipped over to join everyone else. Only Aerith and Cloud were left to each other as he finally realized how utterly _stupid_ he was for the nth time.

"Well, it is summer," Aerith chuckled uncomfortably as she looked away from him and rubbed the side of her arm meekly. "Air isn't too cold. I'm sure I'll be fine."

"… That's good."

Aerith dug the point of her heel into the cement awkwardly before she took a deep breath in and shook herself out of it. She turned her head back towards him before flashing him a wide smile that he was, for the first time ever, not happy to see.

"Come, come! I haven't had topside food in a really long time. Do you think they'll have seafood? Of course, they have to—it's a celebration to Shinra's defeat after all!" In order to keep things natural between them, Aerith hooked her arm onto Cloud's as she dragged him over to the line to join the others. "Do you think you'll get some recognition?"

"I doubt it. Like I said, no one likes me around here," Cloud sighed, feeling bummed that he missed his chance again to possibly make it up to Aerith. Seeing how quick she moved on, however, he didn't let the missed chance weigh him down. "Rather, I think I'm going to see some unpleasant faces—much worse than Luxiere."

"Aw, don't say that. I'm sure that despite how bitter they may be about your past treatment towards them, they know what you did and how the rebellion wouldn't have turned out the way it did without you."

"I doubt it," he repeated, "but sure. We'll see."

When the party finally reached the front of the line, they were stopped by a few ex-SOLDIERs that manned the front in order to make sure no uninvited guests crashed the party.

"Name?" one of them asked.

"Cloud. Cloud Strife," Cloud said as he followed Kunsel's directions. At the mention of his name, one of the SOLDIERs looked up from his list of guests in order to take a peek at him. When he met his eyes, Cloud quirked an eyebrow. "Something wrong?"

"Never thought I would ever meet your rumored terrifying presence in person," the SOLDIER chuckled as he went through his list. He paused in his job once more to take another sneaky glance at the sword strapped on his back. "Zack's successor, huh?"

"Got a problem?" sighed Cloud, already feeling his words to Aerith become true as he received odd vibes from the SOLDIER. The SOLDIER simply shook his head as a smirk adorned his features.

"Go ahead and make your way through, _first-class_."

The way he addressed Cloud made him stiffen as the blond shot one last glare at the SOLDIER before he proceeded with his friends into the ballroom. The moment their entire bodies entered the area, their eyes couldn't grow any larger as Cloud's party struggled to take up its entirety in one view.

Glass chandeliers hung above their heads as their prisms of light scattered across the ceiling. Large, white, round tables spread themselves across the large space as a vase of flowers sat in each center. On the top of their surfaces stood a placard, which designated who sat where with their party. The stage in front of them seemed so tiny as the area before them spanned so far. In front of the stage was a floor for dancing, and at the back of the room lined large tables just for food, which were constantly refilled as chefs kept replacing empty trays with fresh ones.

"Please don't let this moment end, _please_ ," Jessie begged dreamily as she embraced the entire spectacle before her. "I feel like I'm living a dream here, this is _amazing_. Thank you for letting us come with you, Cloud, oh my gosh."

Not used to Jessie being so appreciative, especially over something he found as very simple, Cloud only managed a nod before he walked through the tables to find where his name sat.

He wasn't surprised to find his table placed next to fellow first-class SOLDIERs and their company. When they saw him, they gave him a curt nod, and some smiles, towards his direction before their attention returned to their engaging conversations. Cloud merely gave them a respectable nod back before he sat down, releasing a much-needed breath. He felt odd to be back at this place, and even odder to see faces he had sworn he would never see again. What was the oddest was that he was just sitting here with his friends, relaxing as a guest while it dawned on him that the last time he ever saw these faces was when he was fighting side-by-side with them, killing all sorts of things for the sake of their righteous cause. To see them all in some elegant ballroom that used to be owned by Shinra, chatting with their friends and family in either their SOLDIER uniforms or suits, was downright _strange_ for the blond to absorb..

The oddest of the oddest things was how he wasn't triggered to see all these faces and reminders of the past, something he thought would surely trigger him into a state of mako-delirium. Only feeling his nervous heartbeat, Cloud was glad he was at least able to save some face in front of his past comrades.

"Man, the air feels so different around you now, bro!" Wedge exclaimed as he looked excitedly from left to right as he continued to observe the extravagant environment. "It's as if you're a superstar, not just a merc anymore!"

"Not true. Even third-class SOLDIERs are here to celebrate. It's nothing special," insisted Cloud. Then he looked at everyone before him before jerking a thumb over to the back of the room. "Why are all of you guys sitting here just staring at me? Go and get something, no one's chaining you here."

"Why, I thought you would never ask!" Wedge was the first to scurry off along towards the rows of food before everyone else followed his lead and stood from their chairs. Cloud, however, remained sitting in his seat as another heavy breath escaped his lips. Only Aerith stayed behind as the rest allowed Cloud to meditate at their table.

"Cat's got your tongue all of a sudden now that you're finally here?" Aerith took the seat next to him as she turned her body in a certain way so that she could meet his eyes. She disregarded the sacred rule of "no elbows on the table" as she leaned forward on it. "I guess there are some forces in the world that _can_ take your breath away."

"Uh, yeah. Definitely." And he looked at her intently.

Aerith didn't catch onto his drift as she shook her head and gave him an encouraging smile.

"Remember what we've talked about since day one. Let your mind wander free, and speak up if you feel like something is wrong. We're here for you. I'm here for you."

"… It's just really weird to be here."

"I wouldn't think otherwise. Glad to see old friends? There are definitely some who appreciate your presence here."

"Kinda, I guess."

As if on cue, someone interrupted their conversation when Cloud felt a tap on his shoulder. He instantly whipped his head over to see who it was and immediately stood up when he recognized the old face.

"Genesis," Cloud said, surprise evident in his voice as he regarded the red-headed man. The arrogant smirk on his face would've been a sight for sore eyes if Cloud hadn't hated it so much back in the day.

"Well, if it isn't Cloud Strife. Never thought I would see your face around here again. I take it that Kunsel informed you of this gathering?"

"Something like that."

"Brief with words as always. What did I expect?" The first-class SOLDIER gave Cloud a friendly pat on the shoulder, and surprisingly, he didn't shrug it off. "Where've you been? Us first-class SOLDIERs have been wondering where you disappeared off to. If we knew where you were, we would've invited you out to our frequent nights out."

Cloud didn't know if Genesis was just putting up a face since he didn't quite remember himself being too friendly with the rest of the commanders whenever they were together during strategical meetings. However, feeling like Genesis's words sounded somewhat genuine since the first-class SOLDIERs were the only people he kind of got along with during the rebellion, Cloud rubbed the back of his neck as he wondered how he should tell him about how he had been faring for the past five years.

"I live in the slums now. Doing a few jobs here and there." Cloud wasn't ashamed to reveal his new home. His comrades probably used their plentiful earnings from the rebellion to establish themselves here in topside, whereas he had used it to travel around the Planet.

Surprised at his modest living, Genesis chuckled. "Something's different about you, boy. The last time I saw you, you always had this dark look to you. It was as if it was surgically stitched here," and he waved a hand at his own face. "I guess five years after war does that to you, but you definitely look better."

"I guess."

Genesis then looked at the sword that laid against the table before sighing and shaking his head. "First Angeal, and then Zack. Both in less than one year. I wouldn't have said this back in the day since I would be lying, but now, it's different. You make a good wielder of the Buster Sword, kid." He patted Cloud one more time on the shoulder before he gave him a small nod. "Just wanted to pop in to see a missed face. Oh, and this." Genesis dug into his pocket for a pen and paper before he scribbled something down quickly and handed it to Cloud. The blond took it curiously, wondering what it could've been. "My number. Don't be a stranger. I won't ask for yours since we both know you wouldn't want your number in my phone without your comfort, so."

"Bye," Cloud said, feeling a bit embarrassed about how he couldn't say as much as Genesis did during their conversation. Already knowing Cloud's personality pretty well within the four years they spent together, Genesis didn't hold his lack of words against him as he bid the blond goodbye and returned to his table.

Aerith, who had been standing by his side witnessing the interesting conversation, gave Cloud a smug smile, one with which he didn't feel too comfortable receiving.

"I just saw a different side of you just now—a boyish one."

"Quit it," he muttered, referring to her ability to just dissect him like some sort of frog underneath the scalpel. "He was one of my comrades back then. He was... one of my superiors I looked up to."

"Genesis, right? I know him."

Cloud frowned. "You do?"

"I _did_ live here for nearly fourteen years after all. It's not surprising for me either to see some familiar faces around here. Genesis, Angeal, and even Sephiroth. They were all candidates to… bear my children after all."

Cloud suddenly felt bad when he saw how he was too immersed in his own thoughts to realize that it wasn't just him who felt out of place under this roof where he once swung his sword. Aerith was in the exact same position of oddity as him to be standing underneath the roof where _she_ once had to endure terrible experiences. Before he could apologize to his narrowed sight, Aerith stopped him with a hand.

"I already know what you're going to say, and it's _okay_." She felt the side of his arm tenderly as she gave it a reassuring squeeze. "We've gone past that. Remember? We're in this together."

"Right," he agreed, and he let the topic slip past them as he eased himself into his chair and heeded her words. They were here to celebrate, not to lament on past experiences.

"Welp, let's not just sit around here like loners and go get some food!" Aerith gathered the hems of her dress so that she could have some room to step out of her chair, but Cloud stopped her by gently grasping onto her arm.

"Aerith," he began, and his nervousness hit him harder this time for a different reason. The mood between them was perfect—perfect enough for him to fix his blunder with words earlier outside. Just looking at her made him more fidgety than usual since she was in a completely different outfit compared to the homey dresses she usually wore. This one nearly drove his mind off the edge because of how beautiful and tantalizing it made her look underneath the gaze of his stunned, mako eyes.

Cloud mentally kicked himself in the shin when his eyes nearly strayed away from her face and down to somewhere lower. At the same time, his mind started to wander away from his goal to fix his mistake and into more dangerous, uncharted territories.

Aerith looked at him curiously, unable to read his mind despite him being convinced about how she was his personal mind reader. After so many letdowns from the blond, she didn't have too many expectations about him anymore, or else she would just continue to fall into the pools of disappointment every time he shut her down either with his subtle actions or bluntly-delivered words. However, there was that look in his eyes that made her feel that maybe this time, he would say something worth hearing for once.

Unfortunately, they had spent too long with Genesis and with each other. His friends returned back with plates of food, and Cloud immediately let her go before any of them saw. Aerith blinked before she sighed and made a motion to stand up.

"Dude, I'm never going to leave!" Wedge cried as he dug in the moment he sat down. "Meat, seafood—they got all the expensive stuff! Man, oh man, I'm never going to have this type of food ever again—unless Cloud goes to these types of things frequently!"

"Enjoy, because it's _not_ going to be frequent," Cloud shut down as he stood up with Aerith while everyone sat down. Not wanting to admit it, the smell of the food right underneath his nose made him crave certain things he hadn't had since the rebellion. There were times where large battles were won, and the troops weren't afraid to splurge a little bit in mini-celebrations at their victories.

Hopefully, the delicious food can rid his overly-conscious mind of Aerith for the time being as well.

It wasn't long before everyone settled down and everyone outside in the huge line was inside. When nearly everyone in the ballroom filled in the tables with their respective plates of food, the lights suddenly began to darken as the stage lights brightened.

"Testing, testing. Oh, it works. Okay," rang Kunsel's familiar voice through the speakers sitting at the ends of the stage. His figure finally came out from the side, proudly dressed in his old SOLDIER uniform as he brought the mic out with him on stage. Having never gone to any of the celebrations, Cloud was a bit curious about how they ran things around here.

"Woo, Kunsel!" a person cheered from the audience, and everyone began to applaud as Kunsel nodded his head graciously towards the people he could see from the stage.

"Hi, hi, it's great to see so many old comrades together again. When was the last time, the first anniversary? Haha, it was definitely not as grand as our celebration today since a year wasn't enough for a restoration kind enough to host us like this, but now that things have stabilized just a little bit, along with the improvements of the Midgar Restoration Council P.S., we're able to throw this fantastic get-together."

Another round of applause spread throughout the audience before Kunsel continued his opening sequence. "Before we can enjoy ourselves fully tonight, it is tradition for us to honor those who are here today and those who, unfortunately, are unable to rejoice together with us like this."

Cloud already felt a pang at his chest at Kunsel's words. He had watched many of his comrades fall under the hands of Shinra, and getting a reminder of it stung him more than it should've. All of his friends could feel the solemnness themselves as they stood as a foreign audience among the people behind the cause of their newfound freedom. Cloud could feel Tifa's comforting hand on his back while Biggs, Wedge, Jessie, Barret, and Aerith listened with open ears and complete respect towards the stage.

"Tonight, we collected a few photographs that were taken during the eleven-year rebellion to show you, along with a couple of memory scans of those who were willing to share some of their memory fragments of their battles."

"Memory scans, geez. Some high-technology evolved without us knowing up here, hm?" Jessie commented. "It sounds invasive."

"It's harmless," assured Aerith, being quite knowledgeable about what was going on at topside. "The problem is its use without consent, but other than that, it brings up pretty clear images and even videos if the person is focused enough during the scan."

Cloud didn't like the sound of that. He wondered what kind of things would show up on this presentation as he trained his eyes on the descending white screen.

All the lights went even dimmer as the projector splashed its color against the screen. Immediately, snapshots of scenes long-forgotten by not only Cloud, but by the rest of SOLDIER as well flashed its nostalgic pictures, allowing those to relive their experiences in this montage.

There were pictures of rallied troops, of first-class SOLDIERs gathered together in their meetings, of tents set up during their travel throughout Midgar to infiltrate enemy bases, of things that even Cloud didn't know of since he joined the rebellion in its seventh year. He saw pictures of first-class SOLDIERs before him, faces he never saw before intermixed with faces he was familiar with, and it wasn't a mystery of what befell of their fates. He then began to see pictures of Zack, whose smile never disappeared from his expression in every picture that was showcased.

It was clear that everyone loved him, from both the pictures and from the murmurs of some members of the audience that began to erupt when his pictures started to show. This was when Cloud began to get uncomfortable as the familiar guilt started to creep back up behind his neck. However, he suppressed it. He knew how much Zack meant to everyone, and he couldn't fathom what kind of disappointment they experienced to see someone like him inherit the Buster Sword. Even when he got the job done, there was a sort of charisma in Zack that he could never meet the level of.

The rather peaceful presentation started to turn to a darker corner as the height of the rebellion began to show. Pictures of battles began to be depicted as horrible things such as makonoids and bloodshed revealed themselves, showing the truth of what had to occur in order to bring peace to Midgar and to the entire Planet. The first video memory scan presented itself as sound began to play through the speakers, and it shocked everyone who wasn't expecting it, including Cloud's friends.

" _Retreat! They released the clones!"_ a voice could be heard shouting as explosions and screams filled the air. Fire and black smoke stained the skies while helicopters could be seen flying in the background as the person whose memories they were seeing ran away from the chaos. The adrenaline could be felt in everyone's veins as they watched the appalling scene from the SOLDIER's point of view.

Horrified gasps could be heard from the unknowing members of the audience when the SOLDIER fell down, his view similar to a dropped camera as he tripped over fallen construction. When he turned around, the vicious face of a clone bore its menacing fangs at him, ready to rip his face off with its claws. Right when the audience began to think of the memory scan as of one who has already passed away, the clone suddenly began to scream in anguish when a large blade pierced right through its chest from behind. Instantly, the pitiful creature went limp as the wielder tossed its body off to the side as if it was some dirty rag.

When the SOLDIER looked up, Cloud Strife made his first appearance in the presentation.

"Spikey! That's you!" whispered Barret excitedly as he finally saw a familiar face from this presentation. "You look goddamn different!"

Cloud remained unmoved at the video as he watched himself leap from stone to stone in order to kill all the clones that flew in the air. Everyone watched amazed as the blond wiped out all the enemies in the proximity before he helped the SOLDIER up. Then, he took out his walkie-talkie and spoke into it.

" _We are not retreating. Repeat, we are not retreating. Releasing the clones means that Shinra is desperate. If we win today, we will gain the upper hand tomorrow onwards, do you hear me? No retreating!"_

His friends were taken aback by how different the blond sounded in the memory scan. It sounded a lot curter and more ruthless, but seeing how his surroundings were so violent, one couldn't possibly blame him for the harsh urgency in his voice.

The scene switched to more pictures of battles, but this time, Cloud appeared in more of them as his leadership began to take off during the last four years of the rebellion. Because he had kept downplaying his role in the war, his friends did not expect his features in the presentation to be so frequent, and even though learning about his past didn't change their opinions of him, their views of him did shift ever-so-slightly.

Cloud Strife let on so little about himself more than his friends ever realized.

Near the end of the presentation, the dark mood instantly evaporated when one final memory scan taken from the point-of-view of a first-class SOLDIER began to play. Hundreds of SOLDIERs were gathered in one area outside of the fallen Shinra HQ as their cheers roared deafeningly across topside, letting the people of Midgar know what had just happened—that freedom from Shinra's tyrannical rule was no more. To join in with the scan, everyone in the ballroom released their cheers and hollers as the presentation came to an end, the lights began to brighten once more, and the white screen rolled back up into the ceiling.

"To SOLDIER!" Kunsel shouted into the mic.

"To SOLDIER!"

"To Midgar!"

"To Midgar!"

Aerith excitedly joined in with the screams as she stretched her arms up and waved them around wildly, and when Cloud watched her quirky behavior, he couldn't help but laugh at her silliness and join in with the celebratory mood that drowned nearly all of his senses.

"Cloud Strife is laughing!" whooped Aerith as she went over to stand behind him and grab him by the shoulders. "Laugh it out, laugh it out! Step two, my friend, step two!"

"I get it, sit down," he chuckled, holding onto her hand so that he could pull her back down into her seat.

When Aerith thought he would let go of her hand, he didn't as he clasped it underneath the table and behind its white veil. He didn't look at her as his eyes surveyed all of his past comrades' happy smiles, appearing to be unfazed by his sudden act of affection. The exhilarating dizziness that penetrated her chest made her nearly lightheaded as Aerith's cheeks turned red both from her excitement and her attraction to the man sitting next to her. Without another thought, Aerith gave his hand a tight squeeze in return as she continued to holler her cute shouts into the crowd.

Everyone in Cloud's table was the same as the other guests as they clapped and cheered. Even though they were never a part of the cause for freedom, the crowd's spirits were enough to make them feel like they had been.

"We'll have a couple of speeches from our leaders that made this rebellion possible," Kunsel finally spoke again when the cheers died down, "But that'll be towards the end. Now, we'll continue to celebrate, so go and enjoy tonight to the fullest!"

Kunsel left the stage as musicians began to enter it with their instruments. In less than five minutes, orchestral music graced everyone's ears, and the mingling that was seen in the beginning of the party returned as people left their seats to walk around.

"So," Aerith said in a rather raspy voice beside Cloud as a few of their friends went to refill their plates of food. Jessie had dragged Tifa to go chat up some guys while Barret remained sitting at the table with Aerith and Cloud. However, he didn't catch the mood between them at all as he sat and listened to the music with an appreciative ear.

"Yeah?" responded Cloud.

The two conversed with each other as if their hands weren't at all interlocked underneath in secrecy. During these times, Aerith could never _ever_ read his mind. He looked so calm and collected that it made her a little bit crazy how it was only her that had her heart pounding in her ears like speakers with the bass cranked up to the maximum.

"Any plans to go and catch up with long-lost friends?" Aerith let out a low-whistle. "Seems like you're quite a somebody based on what I just saw."

"I'm nothing much," Cloud continued to be modest. "After all, I'm just known as some murderous, killing machine around here. Not really 'friends' material."

Cloud had a really hard time making sure his eyes didn't go anywhere when Aerith leaned closer to him. She let out a hot breath, a breath as hot as her dress as she smirked at him.

"I'm sure you kill a lot of things."

"Like?"

The blond's mind went blank when Aerith took his hand from underneath the table and placed it over her chest. If Barret didn't get the hint yet, he did now as he awkwardly slinked out of his seat and away towards the rest of the gang for refuge.

Aerith giggled as she allowed him to feel her heartbeat. "Like my hear—"

"Excuse m—oh, sorry, am I interrupting something?"

Cloud immediately retracted his hand while Aerith instantly straightened. The two of them shot their eyes over to whoever spoke, and when they sent each other signals through their eyes silently asking if the other knew who the guy was, they realized that it was simply a stranger.

"Hello there," Aerith regarded kindly, and she fought to erase the flush on her cheeks so that the man didn't get so freaked out by her appearance. "How may we help you?"

"I'm sorry, it's just that my eyes have been hooked onto you at first sight since I saw you," the man shyly began, and it didn't take long for a frown to draw itself on Cloud's face. "I was just wondering if you would ever be so gracious as to take my hand for one dance?"

"Oh," Aerith let out dumbly, her eyes batting rapidly as she looked up at the man. What made Cloud extremely irritated was the way she stood up from her chair so that she could be more on eye-level with the stranger. "Why, I would love a dance."

_What?_

It was Cloud's turn to blink his eyes rapidly as he regarded Aerith with an accusing gaze. She simply gave him a sheepish, apologetic look before she told the man to go off to the floor first before she met him there.

"It's proper etiquette to accept a dance," explained Aerith before Cloud interrogated her. Cloud wanted to speak up and challenge if that mannerism could be applied to a stranger when they were obviously just having a moment, but when he realized how he didn't quite have the right to just question her like that, he simply nodded. At this point, he wondered how many times they would get interrupted before he would just give up on the whole attempt at mending whatever relationship they had.

But an uneasy thought struck him out of nowhere like a flash of lightning.

It wasn't as if Aerith was his woman or anything.

And then the conflict hit him again like a dumb, stupid paddleball.

He was her goddamn _bodyguard_ , and this thought was getting _old._

Aerith gave him a wave before she went over to the man, and Cloud never had such a strange itch to draw his sword in civilian area before when he saw how the man's hand curved around her waist and drew her into him intimately— _too_ intimately.

"Cloud, really?"

Tifa entered his vision as she stood in front of him, blocking his sight of Aerith and the man. He sighed as he already knew what she was going to scold him about. He propped his elbow onto the table before he glumly placed the side of his face against a palm. Now that he looked at the table, it was quite lonely to just sit at it alone.

"Why don't you sit down?" he suggested to Tifa in attempt to relieve the sudden isolation, but the tough woman shook her head.

"Let's talk—while we dance _._ "

"Please, I don't da—"

"Cloud, we're _dancing._ "

"Yes, ma'am."

He instantly stood up at the sound of Tifa's demanding voice since he knew scary business would occur if he didn't listen to her, and she smiled a sickeningly sweet smile at him before she led him over to the very large dance floor.

Some typical waltz song was playing as pairs circled fancily around each other. Knowing how Cloud was not as graceful with his feet, Tifa allowed him to settle with just occasional swaying to the beat of the music. Her hands placed themselves on his shoulders while his laid gently on her waist in a similar manner three nights ago. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Jessie and Biggs together, earning a smirk on his lips.

"So, what happened to Jessie finding a topside man?"

"I think she's a bit intimidated by all the money being worn as suits," Tifa chuckled at the brunette's shyness. "She's actually a lot less daring than you think."

"I don't appreciate the ass-slapping," Cloud sighed to counter Tifa's disbelieving comment, and this caused Tifa to burst out laughing in the middle of their dance. "You could've fooled me."

"Well, at least she's more of a man than you could ever be."

"That's a fucking low blow," and Cloud instantly narrowed his eyes at the raven-haired. "If you're going to talk about Aerith, then I'd rather skip out on the lecture."

"What, too embarrassed to admit how you don't have the guts to take her as your woman?"

"She's my employer."

"Ever heard of office romances?"

" _Tifa_."

"Kidding!" Tifa enjoyed teasing the blond as she took the man's part and led him through the steps of a semi-waltz. Of course, this earned knitted eyebrows as his eyes removed themselves from her face and trained solely on their feet. "But seriously, you just let some man take her out for a dance? _You're_ the one who's supposed to be there!"

"And why is that?"

"Cloud, you're head over heels over that woman."

When Cloud accidentally stepped on Tifa's feet just to shoot her a glare, he didn't even apologize. Before he could just deny it, Tifa let out an exasperated sigh and said, "How much longer are you going to wait before it's too late?"

"Too late?"

"Cloud, she's not going to wait forever for you to get off your butt and actually _do_ something. And… I would know."

His gaze softened when Tifa hinted towards their own relationship, but she didn't allow him time to ponder about the past as she pointed a discreet finger behind him. "Go look at this, you idiot," and Cloud almost yelped out loud when Tifa harshly twirled him around to let him see what she was talking about. What he saw didn't make him feel better.

Aerith had already switched partners as another man held her in his arms. The smile on her face wasn't genuine, but she somehow managed to seem comfortable as she engaged in a private conversation with the man as they spun around the dance floor. When he looked back at Tifa, the eyebrow cocked on her face was enough to make him feel like he was at fault.

"It just feels… wrong though," Cloud admitted to Tifa. The same feeling he felt when he almost kissed her the other day returned. It was unexplainable, but he blamed it on their current positions. "I'm her bodyguard, hired by her mom. It just feels like I'm breaching some sort of ethical code here."

"Please, that's not even a high enough wall for you to not act on your feelings. It's barely even a fence to keep the dogs in!"

Tifa had a strange power to suddenly make him feel pathetic as he lowered his gaze back down to their feet. Sensing his dampened mood, Tifa sighed as she kept her bashing to a minimum. "Really, are you really going to let her get taken by another person as time goes by? You want that?"

"No," he instantly answered, and he surprised himself.

Tifa smiled in response at his truthful confession before she patted his shoulder with one of her hands. "I see it, Cloud. How much being with her makes you happy. I haven't seen you so… relaxed before ever since you came into Sector 7."

"…"

"So stop thinking so hard about it and just go with the _flow_!"

"Flow?"

"Don't think," she half-whispered, and with one final push, Tifa let him go and shoved him towards Aerith's direction. Cloud looked at her, bewildered as he stuck out like a sore thumb for being still in the middle of the dance floor. With one last encouraging smile, Tifa shooed him away before she exited. Behind her followed Jessie who had detached herself from Biggs once she saw the whole interaction.

"You know, I think you would've had a chance if you were just a bit more pushy," Jessie sighed as the two leaned against the wall and watched Cloud awkwardly make his way towards Aerith. "It's not too late for you, y'know."

Tifa shook her head as she disagreed, a small, bittersweet smile playing at her lips as she held her clasped hands behind her back. "I know who would make Cloud the happiest, and it's not me. I don't want his heart to struggle anymore—he's been through a lot."

"Tifa…"

"Plus," Tifa sighed as she laughed. She took out a hand and held it outstretched in front of her. Through one of the slits between her fingers, she continued to watch Cloud as he finally made it over to Aerith and interrupted her dance with the man. "My time's over. Time to turn a fresh new page for all of us, right?"

Jessie remained silent for a moment as she let her words sink in. However, she didn't want her nor Tifa to have their moods swimming in sadness when tonight was a night to remember, so she grabbed onto Tifa's hand and pointed to the back of the room.

"I think they're starting to serve some sweets right now. Let's gain some weight, shall we?"

Tifa blinked at the woman before smiling appreciatively at her dear friend.

"I hope they have cake!"

Back over at the dance floor, Aerith was trying to meet Cloud's mako orbs the entire time as her previous partner got replaced with the most unlikely person on the Planet. A hand held her body against his by her back as he struggled to not let his unskilled feet mess everything up. Aerith, however, was the opposite as she remained relaxed with her movements. She ducked her head down in an attempt to meet his downcast gaze, but he simply turned to the side so that he could avoid her eyes.

"I was having a very interesting conversation with my partner earlier," Aerith teased as she let go of his hand and wrapped her arms around his neck, making Cloud automatically slink both his own around her ample waist. She had danced the waltz long enough—now she just wanted some slow dancing. As if on cue, the orchestra began to play more calming, less energetic music as the others around them adopted a similar pose. "We were talking about how there was a beautiful flower garden by the edge of the city and how he would've loved to take me if I had any spare time."

"How exciting."

"And he was about to get an answer from me if someone hadn't suddenly barged right in and killed the poor guy with his eyes."

"… And were you going to say yes?"

"What if I was?"

"… He doesn't need to be the one to take you."

The last time he had such a hard time maintaining an even breath was when he was getting chased by dumb clones across the entire circumference of this gigantic cylinder of a building five years ago. Now, as he regretted not taking Tifa's personal dance lesson the few nights before, he struggled to even breathe, and it wasn't because of the dancing.

_Go with the flow_ , was what Tifa had said.

That was going to be a problem if he couldn't even _feel_ it.

"Oh? He doesn't?" Aerith snapped Cloud out of his mini-dilemma as she gazed at him curiously. The heat at the tips of her fingers managed to somehow inflame the skin behind his neck as she trailed tiny, burning paths down the length of it. "Then who will?"

Cloud sucked in a breath before he said it.

"I will."

Aerith nearly gasped out loud at how confident he sounded, and the familiar rush of anticipation pooled at the pit of her stomach as she pulled him down by the neck and pressed her forehead against his in a feverish moment of impulse. It didn't help his cause as the lights dimmed for the romantic couples out there.

"What kind of medicine did Tifa shove down your throat tonight?" she whispered as her breath fanned against his face. "Seemed like she gave you some sort of talk earlier here while you guys were dancing."

"And you were watching?" Cloud dodged the question as he ignored the way Aerith looked at him. It was dangerous—because it was the same way she looked at him that night when they almost kissed.

Aerith hummed at his attempt to somehow catch her off guard, and before the two of them knew it, they played around each other with their words, watching who would succumb first during their little dance.

"It's not hard to spot a clumsy pair who's sharing the same dance floor as you."

"Dancing was never a skill for survival."

"It is in the social world."

"If you know me, then you would know that I'm—"

"Not interested. Of course."

Cloud shuddered when Aerith ran a hand down his muscled arm. She removed her forehead from his so that he could see her charming smile.

"What?" he dared to ask when she didn't say anything else.

"I know there's a lot of things you're not interested in," she began, "but would it interest you if we… I don't know, ditch the dance floor and go somewhere else?" and she leaned forward just so that her mouth was right next to his ear, "Just the two of us."

Aerith had expected him to be at lost for words since she noticed how close contact did shake him up a tiny bit, but she didn't expect him to suddenly detach himself from her and grab onto her hand.

"Yes, because I hate dancing," was his poor excuse of a cover-up for his real intentions as he led her off the dance floor and out the ballroom through a different door next to the stage.

They didn't realize how stuffy the ballroom actually was until they took in their first breath of fresh air outside. They entered a sort of lobby, and Cloud recognized it as a place he had been through before, albeit slightly changed since reconstruction. He didn't have that much time to reminisce on old times before Aerith tugged him by the hand towards the elevator.

"Let's test my memory to see if I still know where everything is," she remarked as she led the way. "Hopefully we don't get lost."

"It's okay, I'll tell you if you're hopeless."

"Wow, and we got someone who knows this place?"

"Didn't study the layout of this damn place for nothing," he muttered, referring to the time where he and his troops had to make sure what kind of enemy territory they were treading. Impressed, Aerith didn't say anything more as they stepped foot into the elevator.

The ride up to the highest floor was nothing but excruciating. The silence was almost mind-numbing, and there were only two things in his mind—the way they kept holding each other's hands and the nauseous fluttering that kept bothering the ball of muscle underneath his ribcage. He tried to act cool as he leaned his back against the rail of the elevator, but he wondered how convinced Aerith was with his façade as she hummed a small tune underneath her breath to make the silence between them slightly better to withstand. He didn't even know where they were going or why they were even on a secret excursion away from the celebration in the first place, but he willed his mind to stop asking questions.

The questions were bad, and Tifa said not to think.

_Don't think._

When the long elevator ride was over, they stepped out, and a gust of wind met their faces as they stood atop the highest floor of the old Shinra HQ. He couldn't help but wonder why she took him here, but his question was answered when she brought him over to the ledge that blocked off any accidental falls over the edge of the building.

"It's pretty, isn't it?" Aerith murmured as she let his hand go and placed her elbows against the metal bar. She cupped her face with her two palms as she sighed dreamily. "This was one of the only things I thought was nice during my stay here when I was younger. Some of the Turks would be nice enough to bring me up here to enjoy the view."

Below them stood the entirety of Midgar at topside. Cars seemed like tiny insects filing a single line with each other as the streets looked like tiny plastic tubes for the vehicles. The city lights glowed a variety of colors, mostly yellow, as the night remained busy, flickering its life excitedly through the different patterns of blinking across the vast sea of differently-shaped buildings.

While it was amazing to look at the city from such a high viewpoint, nothing was more breathtaking than the night sky. They felt swallowed up by the darkness because nothing else climbed higher than them as they stood on top of the now seemingly tiny tower. He had never seen so many stars before since the plates above the slums would hide a good portion of the sky, so being at the mercy of just the space above them felt surreal as the uncountable stars twinkled their white glow above them.

There was a time, though, when he saw this type of sky, and it was when he sat with Tifa on that one water tower back in Nibelheim. If nostalgia hadn't hit hard while he was in the ballroom with his comrades, then it did now as he remembered the fond moments of his hometown, even if he wasn't the most social kid around the block. It was a time long-forgotten and a time that he could not go back to and visit.

However, it was a time to always remember and treasure, and his heart was content with that alone.

"We've both gone a long way, hm? Since meeting each other like when, two-ish months ago?" Aerith broke his train of calming thoughts, and her voice brought him back to the current situation between them. "Knowing a little about your past and knowing about your mako poisoning, the me two months ago wouldn't believe it if you said you were going to be fine coming back to a place like this."

" _Pfft_ , you're not the only one," Cloud agreed as he joined her and placed his arms against the rails. The him two months ago would have had to be on his last limbs or something to even dare go back to this place he left behind. Not succumbing to despair as he saw familiar faces and photos of those who couldn't make it today on the presentation was a feat in itself, and there was only one person he could credit for this phenomenon.

"I didn't do much," she said, reading his thoughts. "I just gave you a little push, but no one else can move you except yourself, right?"

"The same can be said to you," he interjected. While he had not caused a huge shift in her like she did in him, it would be a lie to say that she hadn't moved past her own chains that had tied her down. "But you deal with things a lot better than I do, so."

"Oh, you wouldn't know what kind of turmoil goes through my heart," she said jokingly, but a part of him felt like she meant it a little as she smiled at the view before them. "But…" Cloud stiffened when Aerith scooted a bit closer to his side, "Both the solution and problem is right here before my eyes."

He did the mistake of turning to the side to look at her because once he locked his eyes with her green ones, he knew he was going to enter a zone where him fucking up was at the highest probability.

"What do you mean?" he pretended to play dumb, but that wasn't the move as Aerith sighed disappointedly.

"I don't know if you're just playing games with me, Cloud. For the past _month._ Especially this week. And today." Noticing how his form was rigid at her closeness, Aerith took a step away from him as she twiddled her thumbs. However, her eyes never left his face as she bravely faced him. The same could not be said to Cloud as he looked away and steeled his gaze at some random building off at the distance. He didn't expect her to be so forward about it, so he didn't know what to say as she stood there, waiting for him to just do _anything._

He didn't know how embarrassed he made her feel for the nth time due to his lack of a response as she heaved another breath just to forget it all. Maybe she should've just given up. Maybe it was foolish of her to just kept bombarding him with these types of things and expecting something back from all of it, only to walk out the door with the feeling of rejection hanging over her head like some insistent, grey rain cloud. She didn't want her heart to get pulled along for a man who wasn't even sure of his own feelings, so she took a one-eighty turn and switched the conversation to something else to save her some grace and any dignity she had left in her reserves, much to Cloud's reluctance.

_Don't think, don't think, don't think._

"Do you know what problem you still haven't fixed yet, though?" she giggled, not at all noticing how he was cramming that repetitive mantra inside his head. "It's been bothering me for a _really_ long time."

"Hm? What is it?"

"Your ability to maintain eye contact. Seriously, look at me. Here, we'll have a staring contest!"

"Please, no," he tried to fight her, but she wouldn't keep still as she incessantly poked a finger at his arm just so that she could get his attention. Finally, just to stop her, he looked over at her with a cocked eyebrow. "What are we, five?"

"Nothing wrong with engaging in old childhood games," Aerith laughed as she looked at him, eyes gleaming as she continued to grin at him. "It's okay, you can blink. Wouldn't want to see Cloud Strife crying just because he got a little bit too competitive."

"That's not going to happen," he sighed, and he couldn't keep count on how many times he did so within the span of one night. He shifted his body so that he could appease her and the little game she insisted on playing. While it was naturally hard to just look at her straight, being put under the mindset of a game made it a lot easier as he bore his mako orbs into her own emerald ones.

"Can't you make a more pleasant face so that I don't have to keep looking at such a grouchy one?"

"This is all you're getting."

"Fine."

Aerith clasped her hands behind her back as she looked up at him, a small tune hummed under her breath once more to encompass the silence that befell them during their game. When Cloud eased into the moment, his mind started to get all conscious again as he observed the soft details of her face. Paired with the light make-up she had put on with the girls earlier, Aerith was nothing short of a goddess as her eyes remained unmoved from his in a confident and still manner.

His heart began to increase in rate again as he legit nailed the mantra into his skull so that he wouldn't miss this chance again.

_Don't think, don't think, don't think. Follow the flow. What flow? I don't know, but just_ _**don't think.** _

"Your face suddenly scrunched up a little bit. Are you okay?" Aerith snickered, but she never broke the eye contact. "If you continue to frown like that, you're just going to end up with a permanent crease on your forehead."

"Good because people know not to annoy me then."

"What a silly reason."

Just when Aerith thought he indeed had the ability to maintain eye contact with her, he couldn't take it anymore as he looked away and let out an unsteady breath. The way he removed his eyes from her was extremely unsettling—it was as if he couldn't bear to look at someone like her. Although knowing that that probably wasn't the case, Aerith still couldn't shake off the sad feeling as she let another sigh of disappointment bypass her lips. No matter what kind of romantic mood they entered, there was always something to interrupt it, and it was mostly on his part for such a disruption.

"You know, after tonight, I won't bother you anymore with… these kinds of things," Aerith declared, grabbing onto the rail with her two hands before she leaned backwards, having only the metal bars to anchor her from falling onto her bottom. "I guess I really do get it now. I said I did a few days ago, but today, I think I'm sure of it."

"Wait, what?" Dread began to fill his insides as Cloud finally snapped his eyes back to look at her, but this time, Aerith didn't return the gesture as she avoided nothing but his eyes. "What do you mean?"

"I get it," she repeated, and a small smile appeared on her pretty lips. "I get that you… don't feel the same way. But like I said before, no hard feelings! Don't worry, I'm not going to fire you. I enjoy having you as a bodyguard at least since it really is nice company during my flower sales."

"Wait, Aerith—"

"Just," she held up a hand to stop him from uselessly arguing with her, "let me have my moment here because it's really hard to say these things without you interrupting me all the time." Her voice cracked, and at that moment, Cloud knew that he had waited too long. "Although I might not act my age sometimes, I'm twenty-four, and it might take me a little bit too long to realize it too, but I know when to stop. After today, I just… want you to forget about all this so that maybe I can still have the guts to face you without any embarrassment. If that's alright with you."

Cloud remained silent as Aerith went on with her spiel. "Nothing will change between the two of us! Since… nothing really happened anyway. But you've definitely given me so many happy moments—more than I can count—and I wouldn't trade it for anything else in the world. You… really expanded my horizons, Cloud, and I really mean it when I say that."

"Aerith, maybe let me speak for a bit?" Cloud had tried to stay quiet during the entire length of Aerith's speech, but he couldn't take it anymore since it felt like she was giving him some sort of one-sided goodbye—and he didn't have any plans to bid her this sort of farewell ever.

And then he said something really unsmooth. "Let's have a rematch."

"Rematch?" Aerith continued to avoid his eyes. "For what?"

"Staring contest. I haven't admitted defeat yet."

Aerith instantly frowned for a long second before she burst out in almost crazy laughter. She laughed so hard that a tear slipped through one of her eyes as she wiped it away with a finger, unable to fathom what went through this swordsman's mind. "Rematch? While I'm using all my efforts to give you an emotional explanation about my thoughts, you want a damn _rematch_ for a stupid staring contest?" Her laughter died after a while as she recollected herself and let out the biggest sigh of disappointment of the night. "Cloud, let's head back already, I think the fresh air is getting to you."

Aerith removed herself from the rail so that she could make her way back to the elevator, but Cloud had other plans in mind as he hooked a hand onto her elbow, preventing her from going anywhere.

"Please? Look at me. I don't want to leave with a 'loser' sign hanging above my head," he insisted.

"Cloud, I'm not in the mood to freaking—"

"Just one more time."

Aerith stopped trying to throw his arm off of her as her eyes stared shakily at the ground. Not understanding the begging behind his voice, she finally gave in and swallowed her disappointment for a minute just for him.

"Fine," she conceded, and she turned her head forward so that her eyes could meet his again, "But I don't understand why you're such a sore loser over such a silly ga—"

The words instantly got stolen from her mouth when Cloud pulled her in by the arm and kissed her.

_Huh?_

Her eyes flew open, wide orbs simply staring at his fringe as she felt subtle movements from his soft and thin lips against her own.

When he pulled away from the short and fleeting peck, he heavily exhaled as if he hadn't breathed for years, and the same applied to Aerith as her horrible, uneven breathing thundered audibly between them once he released her.

The redness that flushed their faces was unavoidable now as Aerith struggled to keep her heartbeat from flying out of her chest and giving her a potential stroke.

"Cloud," she choked. "What did—you just—I—I thought—"

Cloud simply shook his head, not saying a word, and instead of anchoring her to the ground like before, he stopped thinking, slipped his two hands underneath to cup the sides of her face, and kissed her again, kiss soft and gentle like the rolling of calm, ocean waves.

That night, the stars from the skies above finally rejoiced at their long-awaited union as they shared their first kiss above the always-bustling city of Midgar on top of the tower that oversaw it all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So like, i'm terrible at writing romance so i really really hope this chapter was able to quench your clerith feels!
> 
> pls stay tuned for the next chapters!!


	15. Chapter 15

There were three moments in his life that he could remember where he was beyond uncertain with what would unfold next after a major event had occurred.

The first was when he picked up the Buster Sword for the first time. His thinly, stick-like arms couldn't even lift the thing off the ground when he first held onto its huge responsibility. Sadness and disappointment in his inability to carry out Zack's legacy swamped his optimism—what if his death had been for nothing? What if he had given his sword to just some dumb kid who had no idea what war even meant? How was he ever going to fill in such big shoes?

The second was when he stepped foot into Sector 7 for the first time and reunited with Tifa. Just when he thought he had his purpose settled straight, to find Zack's lover and deliver his final message that he struggled so hard to enunciate with his last breaths, Tifa had come kicking at his door, throwing him into the center of a tornado where his vision became obscure and his footsteps led him towards an unknown direction. Did he really deserve to be happy? To have a home? To live the normal life that Hojo cursed he wouldn't have?

The third was current as he held Aerith in a still and hesitant kiss, eyebrows unknowingly pulled together into a frown. It was as if the action itself was tedious, hard, and _laborious_ even as his hands slightly trembled and his lips remained frozenly pressed against her unmoving, semi-parted mouth.

His mantra to just not think worked when he realized how he was actually _kissing_ her, the woman who held him by the leg and dragged him around mercilessly along with her quick and arbitrary ploys. This wasn't how he planned it since, again, he had not _thought_ about it. She was just so pretty, and the idea of losing her through his fingers without ever trying to clutch onto her was terrifying, and before he knew it, he had the sudden urge to just kiss her, to meet the mouth that should've been his since the night they all went to Wall Market together.

When Aerith still didn't move, the knot of anxiety at the thought of rejection started to play at his innards. Maybe a kiss wasn't what she wanted all along. Perhaps he had been too impulsive, that while she had teased him to the point of making him lose his grip on reality, this wasn't how she wanted their first kiss to be—if a first kiss between them was supposed to happen in the first place.

Or, even worse, his kiss was absolutely repulsive, and she wanted nothing more than to just rip her mouth away from his and run it underneath the sink—add in some soap for good measure. He swore he knew how to kiss—or, at least, that was what he wanted to tell himself—but all of his confidence blew off into nothingness when she _still_ didn't move, and that was when he didn't want to play himself a fool any longer and finally broke their connection. This was very hard to do since all he wanted was to just drown in her sweet scent, to continue feeling her heat that radiated off of her delicate skin, to just _press_ against her like his life depended on every inch of contact he could possibly salvage if they did anything further.

But nothing beat the feeling of dejection as he took a step back and began to play with his gloves.

Aerith simply stood there, unblinking as her eyes remained wide as plates and her feet rooted her to the ground, baffled and shocked. She then finally looked away from him and directed her gaze towards the very uninteresting ground as she shakily pulled some hair back behind her ear, her bangles clinking against each other. While her lips tingled and burned where he had just kissed her, she couldn't even hear the tumultuous city noises anymore since her heart decided to hijack her sense of hearing, pulling her into a dazed mindset as her brain kept replaying what just happened.

Cloud Strife just kissed her.

And there was no hand in between them this time.

Cloud Strife had just _kissed_ her.

And she wanted _more._

_Do it again._

One touch wasn't enough, and just when Cloud was ready to prepare a speech to explain whatever thoughts—or, rather, the _lack of_ —in an attempt to avoid getting a potential slap across the face and possibly returning back to Sector 7 with an utterly broken heart, Aerith threw herself at him and pulled him down for another kiss, one that was more passionate and a lot less stony.

"Kiss me," she demanded when it was his turn to be thrown inside a whirlwind. "Just don't say anything and just _kiss_ _me_."

Cloud wasn't one to follow orders so easily, but with this one, he was willing to throw everything else aside as he automatically curled her into his arms by her back and did as she commanded, entrapping her in an intense and searing kiss that did not resemble the first one at all.

Judging by the way his lips moved so skillfully against her rusty ones, Aerith knew that he had had plenty of time to get it to this level, but she didn't care how many girls he had kissed or what other things he had to do to make his hands feel so _good_ against the bare skin of her back. All that mattered was that this moment was _finally_ here, and she was willing to kill with her heels if someone or something dared to interrupt their moment again.

"Wait, I'm going to fall," Cloud muttered against her mouth that never ceased to stop moving even as he struggled to speak. His back was fully pressed against the metal rails that separated them and their potentially deathly fall. A third of his body nearly tipped over, but Aerith didn't seem to care as she reluctantly pulled back to see what he was talking about. One hand was on her back while the other moved itself to push off the metal rails.

While his eyes removed themselves temporarily from her face to gauge the deathly distance below them, Aerith took this time to appreciate his side profile. His strong and angled jaw shaped his face in a masculine manner, and his hair although a bit messy, fit him so well as the air blew through his voluminous, blonde spikes. His nose stood tall while his eyelashes extended longer than the average male, giving his features extra grace despite the hard look he always had plastered on his expression.

Cloud was such a handsome man—handsomer than any of the men she met in her life—and Aerith wondered if he knew that.

"Mr. Bodyguard, eyes on me, please?" whimpered Aerith as she wrapped her arms around his torso, looking up at him cutely as he turned back to look at her.

"Maybe at a different place." It didn't make him feel comfortable to just lean against some metal rail that separated him from mere life and death. Sure, he could've broken the fall with some sort of magic he had up his sleeves, but he would rather not play that sort of game.

Aerith fully trusted the metal rails to keep them safe as she tip-toed to kiss him again, and he responded back with equal enthusiasm as he too soon forgot about his earlier concern.

A part of him wanted to pull her off, to stop, because they had things to set straight here. They needed some sort of heart-to-heart conversation, one that he had been chasing the skirts of just to have, but their carnal desires for each other got the best over them as they flipped their priorities upside down. They kissed as if they needed it to remain standing as it fueled them with heat and energy from the friction emanating from their impassioned lip-locking. Because it felt so good, Cloud wondered why he hadn't gotten his ass up and done this sooner.

The dogs were finally let loose, and so was his self-control.

Even a text message from Tifa calling for their presence for the closing speeches didn't stop them as they managed to stumble back into the elevator, punch the button to go back down to the ballroom, and kiss each other senseless with no awareness of time. They didn't even think about the party anymore when all they cared about was finally relieving the sexual tension that had roamed in the air between them for so many weeks to count.

"Enough," he managed to croak against her lips when one of his eyes cracked open by a sliver to see what floor they were reaching. If it was proper etiquette to accept a dance from a stranger, then it was definitely proper etiquette to not get caught making out in a fucking elevator.

When he gently pulled away—and he really didn't want to—his eyes were half-lidded as he ingrained the image of the gorgeous woman in front of him in his mind. With emerald eyes glazed, cheeks red, and lips slightly swollen, Aerith was the epitome of celestial beauty as she reached and gave him one last sensual, _excruciatingly delicious_ , smooch.

"You and me—we need to talk," she gasped as she inhaled much-needed air. When the elevator dinged, Aerith detached her body from his, fixed any loose strands of hair, and cleared her throat to test it out so that it wouldn't accidentally let out some sound other than intelligible words. She even shook the fabric at her chest so that she could readjust it just in case it got misaligned, causing her breasts to jiggle—not that Cloud was looking or anything.

Cloud awkwardly tried to fix his blond locks too, even though his hair was never going to be tamable.

"We could've talked back at the top if you didn't just—yeah." He simply left it at that as he calmed his heart rate and his breathing; he didn't want to enter the ballroom looking like an idiot who just ran a marathon outside the old Shinra HQ, but it was kind of hard every time he looked at the Cetra since it reminded him what he just did with her.

"Sorry, couldn't help myself," Aerith offered as an excuse as she made sure all her flowers were in place in her hair. When some threatened to fall out, Cloud had the confidence to reach into her hair and fix it up for her, earning a curious, cocked eyebrow from the Cetra.

Now that he had finally jumped over the fence that, as Tifa called it, kept the dogs inside, he didn't care anymore if his actions came off as weird or strange since everything suddenly felt natural to him now. It was as if someone finally took out the red flag that was hammered onto the ground and threw it off to the side, no longer cautioning him nor driving him towards the edge of insanity with his overthinking.

"Let's talk after," he agreed when the elevator doors opened. The two resumed their respectable distances from each other as they slowly walked back to the ballroom.

When they entered, they attracted all the eyes since the lights were off again, and the light outside from the lobby flooded into the dark room. When Aerith hurriedly scurried off to go back and sit at their table, Cloud was about to do the same until Kunsel suddenly called out to him from the stage.

"Well, it seems like we have someone coming to the party late, but that's not a problem," he chuckled as Cloud gave him an intimidating and questioning look. When his eyes looked past him, he saw all the first-class SOLDIERs gathered together on the stage, and he inwardly groaned as Kunsel tugged him by the arm to join them on stage.

"Come, say a little something after Genesis is done, hm? He's supposed to be the last person speaking, but it won't hurt to add you in as last," Kunsel encouraged off the mic when he saw how Cloud could've killed with the look in his eyes. People in the audience went silent as they took in the sight of the blond, who's soft expression from earlier when regarding Aerith immediately turned into a steely one. He knew that there were people in the audience who were unsettled to see him based on the sudden silence that met the air the moment he got on stage, but he didn't care. Rather, it would've been his pleasure to just walk off if Kunsel hadn't held him by the elbow to make sure he didn't go anywhere.

"Wow, you almost missed my speech," Genesis said into the mic once Kunsel passed it over to him. He placed a hand over his chest to feign hurt before he chuckled and began to give the message he wanted to give to his fellow SOLDIERs for the night. "I'm not going to lie—I feel old to be in front of all of you guys."

Cloud never looked so irritated before in his life as he stood next to a couple of first-class SOLDIERs, some that he had never had the chance to encounter before as he thought about what kind of jumbled jargon he would say to the unwelcoming crowd. His eyes locked onto his table of friends, who were giving him happy thumbs up as a form of encouragement. Clearly, they were enjoying this more than anyone else in the ballroom.

"You know, as the only original founder of the rebellion left standing before you tonight, you'd think that I would have a lot to say," Genesis converged everyone's attention onto him as the small little rustles of noise settled down. Cloud grew interested as well to hear what the thirty-something year old had to say. "Even though I got a lot of emotions circulating in me to see faces I haven't seen in a long time and faces I cannot see anymore, I think I really have only one thing to say—thank you for being here today and remembering not only your honor as SOLDIER, but remembering the honor of those who couldn't make it to see this day come alive."

Cloud swore he shouldn't go to these types of things often. To keep getting the idea hammered into his head by everyone in this ballroom that they had lost way too many people for this cause was not good for the mentality he fought to keep strong tonight. Zack, Zack, Zack—that was the sole name he kept thinking of every time someone mentioned the fallen ones, and while he had all due respects for everyone else who had sacrificed their lives during the rebellion, Cloud only needed to hear it once, and he was sure he wasn't the only one who felt this way.

"The rebellion started with us three," Genesis began to explain the origins of the war for the guests who may not be as knowledgeable about the history. "A name that may bring tears to those who know it, and a name that may bring anger and hatred just by the mere sound of it being said—this journey of ours towards freedom began with me, Angeal and Sephiroth."

When a large thump from a table was sounded within the crowd, Cloud didn't even need to look to know that it was Tifa who had created it out of surprise. Now that he thought about it, Tifa never really did know who Sephiroth actually was before he caused that crazed fire, and he now remembered how he never explained because he didn't want to reopen old wounds. Wondering if she was going to be okay listening to this, Cloud impatiently tapped a finger on his crossed arms.

"After learning about Shinra's evil ways and their sick experimentations, the three of us couldn't stand still. Rallying troops was the hardest part since no one dared to go against the powerful corporation. Even I have a hard time taking credit for this rebellion's beginning—it was all Angeal's and Sephiroth's efforts that even made this possible," Genesis released a long breath. It was obvious that he had a hard time saying these words. "These two men… were the most righteous human beings I've ever known. Their sense of justice was something I could've never replicated, and it honestly crushes my heart to realize the truth of their fates. Angeal, who sacrificed himself to allow hundreds of troops to escape after a surprise ambush some years ago, and Sephiroth, who became mad at the discovery of his creation and birth."

Genesis sighed again and shook his head; he was going off-topic, and it was showing as he began to go down memory lane.

"Anyway, that's besides the main point. Sorry for bringing up something depressing. It is a bit anticlimactic that I truly don't have much to say from here on out. However, I do want all of you to know this: be proud. Being able to be here today wouldn't have been possible if not for all of you who never gave up. This cause wouldn't have been the same without every single one of you, and I hope your honor as SOLDIER lives on forever as your stories of valor and bravery passes onto your children and the rest of your family line. I wish… Angeal and Sephiroth were hear to see all of this, and the rest of our fallen comrades, but I'm sure that they know what we have done in the Lifestream. Thank you all for coming and listening to my short, emotional speech. May the rest of your night be joyful because it'll be a while until all of us can come together like this again."

Applause rang for the commander, louder than it ever had been before tonight as Genesis gave everyone a "rock on" sign before he slipped over to stand in line with the rest of his first-class SOLDIERs. Just when Cloud thought he could silently escape from the back and allow Genesis have all the glory as the last spokesperson, Kunsel's insistence never died as he grabbed onto Cloud's arm again and smiled into the mic.

"Since Cloud over here came a little bit late since he had some business to run earlier, I now present you with another one of our first-class leaders!"

Cloud didn't miss the way Kunsel just saved his face as he handed him the mic. Cloud sighed; he was going to make this as brief as possible. Feeling a bit bad that he was going to throw an unexciting veil over Genesis's ending speech, Cloud racked his brain for anything remotely tangible as he held the mic to his mouth.

"Hi, thanks for coming," he lamely started, and he swore he could hear the frogs croak as all eyes focused on him. From afar, he could see Luxiere at his table, and the sneer on his face was unsurprising as Cloud fought the urge to roll his eyes at the pathetic man. "Uh, I didn't expect to be here tonight, but I guess it was nice seeing a lot of familiar faces again."

"Yo, this guy sounds _so_ fake," Jessie scoffed as she folded her arms and crossed her legs. "Would it kill him to sound a bit more sincere?"

"The guy can't help it," Biggs chuckled as he watched Cloud's clumsiness with words. "Someone videotape this, guys, this is awesome."

"You don't need to tell me twice," Barret quietly cackled as he held up his tiny phone in his large hands to record the blond. "Every time he dares to mess with me again, I'll pull this bad boy out at him."

"Um," Cloud sounded like some grade schooler as he struggled with his next few words. How much did he want to convey to his audience? Would anyone even care about what he had to say to everyone? Everyone knew him as Zack's successor, but knowing how no one believed him as such, Cloud knew he wasn't accepted here. Only Genesis and Kunsel were nice enough to interact with him since they had known about him the moment he joined SOLDIER and even took some time to train him and everything. Just when he was about to end his speech with some half-baked sentences, someone from the crowd beat him to it.

"Cloud Strife, you are the biggest asshole I've ever met in my life!" a SOLDIER screamed in the middle of the ballroom. Instantly, all eyes traveled over to see who was obnoxious enough to dare say such a thing. Cloud squinted a bit to discern the face of whoever said that, unable to recognize who it was. There had been many SOLDIERs, and Cloud never took the time to know everyone's faces and names, much to his regret.

"Hey, calm down over there," Kunsel scolded as he leaned over to speak in the mic in Cloud's hand. However, his words completely flew out the window as the voice never shut up.

"I hated how you kept ordering us around like we were a bunch of pack hounds! Even when I wanted a few more minutes of sleep, you would punish me with laps around the camp if I didn't get up in time, even if it was snowing outside! You made us do the impossible with your intense training regiment, to the point where I felt like my bones were going to fall off my body, and I'll never forget how I felt like the most pathetic human being ever with the way you humiliated me in front of everyone and damaged my honor as SOLDIER by calling me weak and useless!"

Just when Kunsel was about to order the SOLDIER's exit out the ballroom, he said something else that nearly made Cloud drop his mic.

"You're the biggest asshole ever, but there's one thing I'll admit: Cloud Strife, you saved my life that day!"

Dumbstruck, Cloud continued to stare at the SOLDIER, sifting through his memories in one last attempt to remember the face. Finally, it hit him.

He was the same guy whose memory scan was displayed on the presentation earlier.

"If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been able to reunite with my wife and my kids," the SOLDIER explained as his voice cracked. "Even though your reputation as a heartless bastard is known all throughout SOLDIER units, I owe my life to you. I never got to thank you for that day, so I'm saying it now before this night ends!"

The fact that the memory scan was so clear for everyone to see and hear stood as evidence by itself. It meant that that moment in time was special to him, and it was a moment that he'll never forget in his life.

"I hate to admit it, but this bitch saved my life too," another SOLDIER stood up to announce. "There wasn't a single day where I didn't curse him for how much he put me through, but when the clones attacked that day, I saw him—I saw him try to save everyone as he fought them off, including me. That entire day was chaotic, but this asshole was trying to keep the death count as low as he could as he swung that damn, crazy sword of his. I really dislike you, Cloud… but I think I have a thanks to owe too."

Only two people spoke up, and once they sat back down, an awkward silence pervaded. Stunned, Cloud had to take a moment to recollect himself before he finally finished his speech for the night, not sure how to respond to the sudden declarations from the former SOLDIERs.

"Uh, it was definitely a tough time back then. I had to do what I had to do, even if it meant charging SOLDIERs forward in what seemed like a fruitless effort, but… thanks for listening to my orders anyway. That's it. Hope everyone has a nice night." When Cloud shoved the mic back to Kunsel, it created a large thud, and the speakers screeched, killing everyone's ears as the reverberation pierced their eardrums. Once the terrible sound dimmed away, the silence still prevailed. No applause was given, not that Cloud cared, but he wished the silence would just go away already.

His wish was then granted.

"Woo, Cloud, go get 'em!" Aerith cheered in the abyss as she giggled and clapped her hands above her head. "First-class SOLDIER, woo!"

"That's my friend!" Wedge joined in with Aerith as he clapped, and soon, all of his friends were the only ones applauding him as they embarrassed the living hell out of him.

"You're cool, Cloud!" Jessie yelled as she wolf-whistled at him.

"That man's _the_ man," Biggs smirked.

"You _are_ an asshole, but you're a pretty impressive one," Barret bellowed.

"Go Cloud!" Tifa whooped.

And just like that, his entire table kickstarted the applause that came a bit too late, but still arrived, nonetheless, as people cheered for the last speech of the night with almost as much enthusiasm as the last one. Cloud sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck before he returned to the line of first-class SOLDIERs, where Kunsel gave them their last honors for the night before they went off stage. The moment Cloud stepped off, he didn't have time to return back to his table as he got caught up with the SOLDIERs that finally had the courage to come up and exchange a few words with him.

"Well, would you look at that, the guy's actually popular," Biggs chuckled as he watched the entire scene. "And he made it sound like everyone hated him around here."

"They probably did, but they can't ever erase the fact that Cloud worked just as hard as everyone did during the war," Tifa smiled. "But seriously, I learned more about Cloud in one night than I've ever had during the five years we've spent together."

"If that's coming from you, Tifa, then you can just imagine how _we_ feel," Jessie said. "I always thought he was a mysterious guy, but damn, a leader of SOLDIER, a person who helped take down Shinra, and a guy whose sword really just wasn't for show. Too much for one night—seriously."

But even as his friends expressed their astonishment about the reveal of their dear friend's past, none of them regretted coming tonight. It was both fun, enjoyable, and very eye-opening for all of them.

However, there was just one more person they didn't expect to be shrouded in more mystery than before.

"Aerith."

The Cetra turned around from her seat, not expecting to see Kunsel just standing there. A small smile was creased against his mouth, but it spoke of something more as he finally faced her, one-on-one.

"Kunsel," Aerith smiled politely. Her eyes glanced over at Cloud, glad that he was too preoccupied with everyone else to look over here.

"Shall we speak privately?" suggested Kunsel. He didn't miss the way she had looked at the blond in caution. Everyone else at the table was surprised to see the MC for the night at their table asking for Aerith, of all people.

"Sounds great," the Cetra chipped before she stood up and pushed her chair in. She clapped her hands together as she gave an apologetic stance towards her friends. "Hey, guys, I'm going to be stepping out for a while. If Cloud comes by, just say I had to go to the bathroom or something!"

Before any of them could even say a word, Aerith had left with the SOLDIER.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise, even I couldn't handle the cliffhanger (LOLOLOL) so here's a short chapter that hopefully isn't a worse cliffhanger xD


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, I love making you guys happy, so here is another chapter.

"Sir, you're actually not that bad, huh?"

Cloud wasn't scared to give a long and exaggerated sigh when one of his former men patted him amiably on the back. The only reason why he withstood it was because the ex-SOLDIER was many years older than him, and since they weren't on the battlefield any longer, the blond gave the respect where it was due.

"It's Cloud," he corrected, feeling odd to get addressed like that at this sort of place. "We're not on that sort of system anymore."

"You guys hear this kid? Where's the guy who made me swing my sword five-hundred times for punishment?" another one of the men chortled, and everyone joined in with his laughter as the former "pack hounds" teased the youth.

Although he was feeling quite uncomfortable with the whole interaction, he couldn't help but crack a small smile at the reunion with some of his troops. The past was a dark time, but as he stood here with old faces, he realized that maybe there _was_ something positive to look back to as he talked with people he never would've thought to speak to again.

His unexpected softness attracted many, and when he met Luxiere's gaze from across the room, he couldn't help but flash the biggest, most arrogant, condescending smirk he could muster towards the asshole. Luxiere, of course, didn't take this well, and he simply sneered at the blond before he stomped towards the back of the room to get more food.

After some lengthy, catch-up conversations, Cloud excused himself to go back to his table. He had noticed that Aerith was gone, and he couldn't spot her familiar red anywhere as his eyes darted throughout the room discreetly to catch the sight of her.

"Where's Aerith?" he asked once he reunited with his friends.

"Uh, she went to the bathroom," Tifa went ahead and answered for him.

He didn't notice the little lie since it was a plausible reason, and being a bit clueless about many things, he didn't think much of her absence as he sat back down and relaxed into his seat. He was not a social person, and he was confident to say that all of his social energy was drained for the night. If he had to engage in another conversation, he'll immediately pack his bags and go.

At the end, he just kind of wanted to be with Aerith.

 _Ugh,_ he rubbed his forehead.

She was the only thing in his mind, and he wondered how bad he had it for her.

Unbeknownst to him, Aerith was caught in a conversation with Kunsel outside in the lobby.

"Aerith, it's been a while," Kunsel attempted to start off, but Aerith wasn't in the mood to fake being happy at the moment. Her green eyes burned holes into Kunsel, and he knew the exact reason behind it. However, he didn't address it as he looked away from her upset gaze.

"Kunsel, you lied to me."

"I can explain—"

"You _lied_ to me," she repeated, and her eyes glowed with anger. If Kunsel didn't know any better, he would've thought that she was just holding back her magic as she fumed at him. It was scarier than the clones that chased after his life many years back, the sight of a usually kind and friendly girl just boring knives into his very being.

"Look, Aerith," Kunsel sighed, and he rubbed his hands together in preparation, "I didn't want you to get hurt, so—"

"Kunsel, I'm a damn _Cetra_ ," Aerith spluttered. "An Ancient—a person of the Planet. Did you think that I didn't _know_? You think I didn't feel his life enter the Lifestream? Of course, I didn't know how he died, so I believed you when you came to my doorstep and said he was Missing In Action and claimed that you had no clue where he had gone, but imagine! Imagine the shock I had to hold in this entire time when I saw _the_ Buster Sword strapped against some guy I've never seen before!"

Kunsel sucked his lips in, not denying any of the things Aerith spouted as she wiped some tears out of her eyes. Then she made another realization. "You're the one who sent Hojo's notebook to me, didn't you?"

"Thought it would be something you'd like to have," he mumbled, completely accepting the exposure of all of the actions he took for the Cetra. "We found it when we scavenged this area. They were about to burn it, but I secretly snuffed it out and had it delivered to you."

"You're not wrong," confirmed Aerith. "Even though the contents are absolutely horrid, it's good to have some sort of record of my past, so thanks, but sorry, that's besides the point. How long did you intend to keep Zack's death a secret from me? Did you know how it felt for me to _finally_ learn the truth this week? From Cloud? After _nine_ years? As Zack's best friend, do you think he would've appreciated this?"

At this, Kunsel took longer to reply as he tried to formulate an acceptable enough answer to appease the Cetra who demanded the difficult questions he had a difficult time answering. "I was planning to tell you later. Once everything was calm and over."

"Don't you think nine years is a little bit too long?"

"I came into Sector 5 years ago," he admitted. "I was about to tell you once the rebellion was over, but…"

"But?"

"I saw how happy you were. Selling flowers. Helping the children at the orphanage. Tending your gardens. I… followed you from a corner the entire day, to see how you had been faring all these years, and… I didn't want to ruin it. You looked established—settled. I just thought that… such sad news were unnecessary and would remind you of things that you've forgotten, so I decided to go back without ever telling you."

Kunsel let out a long breath. "I'm sorry, Aerith. I really am."

Aerith's anger seemed to dissipate as tears started to freefall down her cheeks. She wiped them off with the back of her hand as she slowly inhaled and then exhaled. And then again. And again. Until she stopped trying and allowed herself to mourn for her former beloved, something she wasn't able to do for nine years as she stood under the roof of her old home, of the place that he used to work for. She wasn't able to mourn for him back in Sector 5, and she wasn't able to mourn for him back in the ballroom where his honors were shown.

So now, as Kunsel gently hugged her for comfort, she finally released the grief that never had the chance to reveal itself as she cried into Kunsel's shoulder.

"Zack never stopped thinking about you," Kunsel said regretfully as he patted her back. "He always wanted to spend more time with you, but he knew he had things to do."

"I know."

"He was always apologetic that he left you all alone, unable to answer any of your letters. Things were… getting rough, so he couldn't find the time to visit you in secret. And it was a dangerous time back then, he knew that if he had gone to visit you—"

"They would find me," Aerith finished for him, and she pulled away and wiped away the last drops of tears from her eyes, although making sure she didn't smudge her makeup. She straightened her shoulders before she broke out in her usual smile, causing Kunsel to return a small, sad one back as he watched her recover so quickly. "Sorry, that I got emotional. I've just been holding in and everything, so—"

"No, you have every reason to be mad. I should've told you the moment I found out if I had known that this had been weighing down on you for so long."

"It's over," Aerith assured. "It just came too late, but it's over. I understand. I just needed a moment to just… finally accept it."

The two of them took a moment to let it sink in as Aerith recollected herself. One of the reasons why Kunsel had called her out was done, but there was just one more that he needed to address before he let Aerith go again.

"Aerith, does Cloud know?" and then Kunsel hesitated to say the next part, "Are you and him… involved romantically?"

Aerith did a double-take, not expecting Kunsel to just outright question it, and blushed.

"No! Er, yes—I mean, I think we're heading there," if Cloud didn't disappoint, "But what do you mean, 'does he know'?"

"You said you knew he had something to do with Zack the moment you saw him, right?"

"Right."

"Yet you didn't question it."

"…"

"Because if you did, I don't think Cloud would be okay like he is right now."

Even though Kunsel had no doubts that Cloud had changed dramatically since the last time he saw him, he had his doubts on whether or not Cloud had the ability to accept the fact that Zack's past lover was right here in front of him so easily. When Aerith guiltily looked away, his suspicions were correct. "Aerith, please don't tell me that you see Zack in him and you—"

"No, I don't. I don't see Zack that way anymore, Kunsel, it's been _nine_ years, and I was a teenager back then," Aerith exasperated. "I… like him the way he is. And if you're questioning why I haven't said anything about Zack to him, then I have my own reasons."

"I'm guessing that you just recently met him."

"Yeah."

"Do you know how sensitive he is about Zack?"

"Yes, Kunsel," Aerith huffed, getting a bit annoyed at the way Kunsel kept throwing her these questions. He gave her a sheepish look, but his reason was legitimate, and Aerith understood that. "The moment I met him, I knew that he was a broken man. But do you know something, Kunsel?"

"What is it?"

"He's still suffering from the mako poisoning."

Kunsel instantly frowned at the revelation. "Seriously? Still? But it's been so long."

"That's why I never told him the truth about my relation with Zack," Aerith muttered regrettably. But she shook her head. "If he knows now, he'll surely get overwhelmed, and all that we've been doing, not just me, but his friends as well, will be for nothing. I want him fully recovered before he knows the truth, so, Kunsel," Aerith then moved her gaze back up to Kunsel so that she could look him dead straight in the eye, "Please don't tell him. I know you were going to even if you had this conversation with me or not, but I'm begging you. I'll be the one to tell him."

"Aerith…"

"Please," she grasped onto his hands in a plea, eyes shining as she tried to bestow this request onto him. "You know Cloud better than anyone else during his time in the rebellion. Trust me."

Kunsel seemed very unwilling to follow with Aerith's plan, but he nonetheless nodded when he realized that this was Aerith's and Cloud's business, not his anymore. Trusting Aerith to know what she was doing, he simply nodded. "Fine."

"Thank you, Kunsel," Aerith sighed in relief. "And thank you for everything you've done for me and Zack back then. I—"

"Aerith? Kunsel?"

The two of them jolted in surprise when they heard Cloud's voice by the door of the ballroom. While he had accepted Tifa's bathroom excuse, when the time stretched too long for a mere restroom break, however, he went ahead to go check if everything was all right, not at all expecting Aerith and Kunsel to be engaged in talk.

"Cloud! Uh," Kunsel tripped over his words, immediately looking suspicious, but Aerith came to the rescue as her bright smile showed up at the sight of Cloud.

"Cloud!" Aerith skipped over and automatically hugged onto his arm, catching him off guard. "Guess what I just found out?"

"What is it?" he asked, a doubtful look on his face.

"Remember the mysterious sender of Hojo's notebook? It's not a mystery anymore! Kunsel over here found it, and went through lengths to get it delivered to me. It's such a small world here, isn't it?"

"Oh, really?" Cloud looked over at Kunsel to confirm, and the former second-class SOLDIER nodded convincingly.

"He pulled me over to the side to tell me," explained Aerith. "It's great to know who it was who sent it after so many years."

"Haha, yup," Kunsel agreed. Aerith signaled with her eyes for him to scram since his attempt for a cover-up was obviously faltering, and so Kunsel quickly excused himself to go back to attending to the party, leaving the two alone again in the lobby.

"Why are you out here?" Aerith questioned as she let him go.

Cloud shrugged before he put a hand on his shoulder and rolled it. "You were gone for a while. So, I just wanted to check up on you."

Aerith batted her eyelashes at him rapidly for a second before she grinned. "Aw, missed me?"

"… No," Cloud uncutely denied, but Aerith didn't care as she snuck into his arms and hugged him around his middle again, giggling into his shirt as she swayed them side to side. Cloud eyebrows furrowed in confusion at her sudden move, but he automatically placed a hand on her head anyway to half-reciprocate her hug.

"Something wrong?" he asked her.

" _Mhm_ , I can do this without you pulling me off, right?" she mumbled, taking in the fresh scent of his laundry detergent. "Ah, it feels so comfy. You feel nice, Cloud."

"Did you drink something again?" Cloud immediately questioned, not at all accustomed to her lovable side. He pulled her back a little bit so that he could see her face. "Do you wanna go back? I think the party is ending soon anyway. I think we should ditch before Jessie starts to get some of that after-party stuff into her system."

For emphasis, he took his free hand and popped an imaginary shot in his mouth. "It's not a fun sight."

"Oh, just let her have fun, you worry wart," Aerith scrunched up her face in disapproval. "It's not every day we get to be here. Let's stay as long as we can, hm? At least for your friends. I'm sure the both of us are tired of this place, but not them."

"Well, _you're_ thoughtful."

"And you're not?" Aerith teased. "Your soft side is getting exposed by the second the longer you stay here. Everyone was practically fawning over you! What did that one guy say again? Ah, that's right, it was _so_ cute. 'Cloud Strife, you saved my li—'!"

He placed a hand over her mouth, embarrassed to hear it a second time.

"Stop," he said irritably, but the miniscule red staining his face didn't match his tone. "I didn't come here to get harassed on stage." And then he sighed, a characteristic move. "How many things do I have to go through because of you?"

"Admit it, you love it," Aerith challenged. "Inside, you love the way I turn your world upside-down, don't you? Step six—"

"Not this agai—"

"Hug me!" Aerith pulled away from him and opened her arms wide, earning the eyebrow raise from him. From his point-of-view, her resemblance to a child was impeccable, especially with the cute pout that played at her face as she stood in those high heels of hers.

Cloud placed a hand to his forehead, appearing to be done with her as he questioned her odd actions.

"What are you—"

"You're making me feel like an idiot here."

"And whose fault is that?"

"Just hug me already."

Aerith laughed happily as Cloud obeyed her odd wishes and did his part in initiating their hug this time, sighing once again as he pulled her into his chest. He had to bring a hand to his mouth when some of her hair got into it while a red flower rubbed annoyingly against his face, but otherwise, their embrace made him feel all warm inside for the nth time that night.

However, despite how happy she seemed, Cloud had his sixth sense tingling. It was already surprising that he even had the emotional capacity to detect when something felt odd to him, but because he was so aware of Aerith and her presence, he grew to have a built-in radar just for her.

Perhaps it was her talk with Kunsel about the notebook, but he didn't pry as he let her rest her head against him.

After all, he had already let those tear-stained eyes get swept underneath the rug the moment he saw her, so letting this odd request of a hug slide as well wouldn't be too much of hassle on his part.

"Let's go back inside before our table thinks we got kidnapped again."

"Again?"

"Wedge has an innocent imagination," Cloud rolled his eyes as he pulled them apart. His arms lingered on her elbows for a bit before he let her go entirely. Taking one last look at her face, Cloud gestured towards the door. "Plus, we gotta embrace the moment, right? For our… friends."

Aerith stared at him, a bit surprised by his caring words, before nodding eagerly and skipping towards the door.

"Right! Let's go!"

And so, for the rest of the night, Cloud simply sat by his table as he watched all of his friends go at it. The orchestra music was long gone as a DJ replaced the stage. The lights darkened, and just like that, the previously elegant ballroom turned into a place that highly resembled a club. Barret had gone to bother one of the previous musicians about how they handle their instruments while Wedge and Biggs drank the exquisite drinks with each other at the table. Tifa, Jessie, and Aerith had gone over to the dance floor, where the trio of ladies formed a circle as the laughed their nights away with no men annoyingly tagging by their sides. Cloud had seen the way how Jessie took off her heel, Tifa clenched her fist while showing her biceps, and Aerith summoned her staff whenever some guy dared to interrupt their moment, and so, he had no worries over the three of them as they enjoyed the rest of the night to their hearts' content.

By the time the celebration was officially over as announced by Kunsel, everyone was tired and ready to leave home after a wonderful night. Too tired to even wait in line for the women's changing area, the girls simply decided to trudge home in their dresses with their shoes in their hand as Cloud said goodbye to those who came up to him.

"Don't be a stranger, alright, Cloud?" Kunsel said as he clapped Cloud on the shoulder. "See? It's not that bad. If people had any wrong ideas about you before, then they definitely don't anymore after that _interesting_ speech."

"Please," Cloud placed a finger against his temple, "never put me through that ever again."

"Can't promise you. Get home safe, hm?"

"Yeah, thanks."

Kunsel gave the blond one last nod. Before he left, Cloud called out to him once more.

"Kunsel."

"Hm?"

Cloud sucked in his lips before he said it. "If anything happens and you need me, let me know."

A chord of remembrance struck Kunsel as he recalled those very same words five years ago. His mouth dropped open a bit, surprised by the small smile the former first-class gave him, and happily nodded.

"I will."

As Cloud's gang exited the former Shinra Headquarters, Cloud looked up one last time to view the building and all of its glory, a building that once towered its evil power over all of Midgar. He looked around him as the ex-SOLDIERs and their family bid each other farewell, and when he looked back to view his group of friends, his heart soared.

"Going to miss this place?" Tifa smiled, violet heels in her hand. "We'll be back." The rest of his group nodded in agreement, encouraging looks all aimed at the blond.

"Yeah," Cloud breathed, and he gave the HQ one last look. Before he completely left the premise, he took out his phone and tapped on it a bit.

_Hey. This is Cloud._

And he sent the text message. Then, he instantly got a reply back.

_Took you long enough, kid. Every 10_ _th_ _and 20_ _th_ _of the month. See you sometime. –Genesis_

"Let's go, Cloud, my feet are _killing_ me!" Jessie whined.

"That's what you get," he scoffed. "Let's go home, guys."

When the seven of them boarded the train, the looks they got from the ladies' flamboyant dresses were unavoidable, but they didn't care as they let the feelings of contentment from the end of a good celebration drown out their care for the outside world. Jessie had knocked out on Cloud's shoulder (much to his annoyance, but he couldn't pull her off anyway or else she would go torment the stranger next to her) as she snored obnoxiously and loudly, much to everyone's stifled giggles, while everyone else silently kept to themselves as the repeated bumps of the train threatened to lull them into sleep as well. Even Cloud had a hard time keeping awake as he held in his yawn, eyes tearing up from all the weariness of today's events.

When they reached Aerith's stop in Sector 5, everyone bid her farewell, except for Cloud.

"I'll walk you back," he said, finally letting out the yawn. "It's late. I'd like to see you actually enter your house at this type of time."

"Hm, okay," agreed Aerith. Usually, she would reject his offer, but for tonight, she'll take it for obvious reasons.

"See you later, Cloud," Tifa said. She smiled at Jessie, who was still knocked out. "Here, I got her."

Cloud replaced his shoulder with his hand to hold her head as Tifa switched places with him. Comfortably snuggling into Tifa's shoulder, Jessie re-adjusted in her sleep before her snoring came back.

"Hope her future man will love this," Cloud joked as he gave one last look at the brunette. "See you tomorrow, guys."

"Bye," everyone said synchronously.

When Aerith and Cloud stepped off the train, Aerith immediately grabbed onto his hand to hold, jolting him by surprise.

"I'm ready to hibernate," she said, yawn overtaking her as well. As she held Cloud with one hand, she held her heels in the other. "Tonight sure was the night, wasn't it?"

"Hn," was all he offered as he eyed her bare feet. When they reached a part with gravel, Cloud let her go and kneeled in front of her, spiking her curiosity.

"What are you doing?"

"Get on. I'll carry you back."

"But—"

"Don't blame me if you get tetanus," he deadpanned as he turned his head over his shoulder to look at her. "Now don't be stupid. And give me your heels."

Aerith let out a soft laugh as she followed his words and handed him her red heels before she got onto his back and encircled her arms around his neck. He hoisted her up as his arms held up her bottom. Even with the Buster Sword awkwardly sandwiched between them, it didn't stop Aerith as she snuggled the side of her face against his hair, sighing in content as he walked down the familiar path towards her home.

All the shops were closed as they trudged through silent stalls. However, the silence was quite peaceful as the two of them appreciated the quiet sector. It was weird, walking through a place that was normally always bustling with life, but it strangely gave off a fresh feeling as they basked in the unfamiliar atmosphere. When they reached Aerith's property, the feeling intensified as the vast gardens surrounded them, greeting them with the little waves of their leaves as they walked by.

"I can never get used to seeing your place. It's… amazing," admitted Cloud as he slowed his walk to enjoy the scenery a little longer. "And you're telling me you did all of this?"

"Elmyra helped me with some of it, but yes. I'm a gardening junkie," Aerith mused. "You can help me out sometime, hm?"

"… Maybe."

"Wait, you didn't say no!" Aerith excitedly "hopped" in excitement on his back, making him lose his balance as he grounded his feet into the floor. He instantly turned his head to give her a look of disapproval, but had to look away when he realized how close their faces were. "Last time I requested it, you flat out rejected me!"

"Last time was last time," he grumbled as he reached the front door and knelt down to let her off. "Now, I don't think I would… _mind._ "

"Who are you and what have you done with the real Cloud?" Aerith giggled as she stepped down and rummaged through her bag for her keys. "Don't regret your words."

"Alright, can I take them back now?"

"Of course not! Silly."

She unlocked her door and creaked it open, making sure it didn't wake Elmyra as she stepped foot inside her abode. When she fully entered inside, she turned around. Cloud had strictly remained outside, feet right at the line of the door as he awkwardly shifted.

Gaze softening, she gave him a small smile. "Come tuck me in bed."

Wordlessly, Cloud took that as the signal to enter, and Aerith closed the door behind them as she led the way up the stairs and into her room.

"Forget the shower, I'm way too tired. Be right back, let me change and wash up," Aerith groaned as she took her heels and carelessly threw it off to the side. Cloud rested his sword against the wall as Aerith grabbed a pair of pajamas from one of her drawers and slunk into the bathroom, leaving him to study her room once more to pass the time.

Her room was the complete opposite of his—so full of life and energy. All of her decorations screamed "Aerith" as it hung on her walls and sat on her dresser and desk. Unlike last time, he took the time to walk by all of it, examining what kind of work her hands busied themselves at outside of her flower selling hours, a small smile of amusement tugging at his lips.

"This is so her," he mumbled to himself as he looked at the wall that was covered with flowers of all different types pressed on strips of white paper. They were in the form of bookmarks, with a red ribbon looped through it so that it could be hung. His fingers gently felt the lamination before he went over to her desk.

Everything looked so neatly placed like last time. Her pens, her planners, her stand-up calendar—he laughed when he saw a doodle of himself on a post-it note stuck against her wall. He tore it off to have a closer look.

 _Hi, I'm Cloud, and I'm a huge, big idiot_ , was in a spiky speech bubble, and a frown was drawn on his face rather obnoxiously.

" _Pfft_ , what?" He must've upset her at some point, which wasn't a surprise since he found himself completely stupid for her on many occasions. Putting it back against the wall where he took it from, Cloud decided not to snoop around too much or else he'll earn another doodle of himself.

However, just like always every time he entered her room, the photo-less picture frame caught his attention. He frowned at it and its crystal structure. Never was it dusty, which made him extremely curious—it was just empty and white. So why did she seem to take care of it so much?

Before he could pick it up and examine it, Aerith popped out of the bathroom, face free of make-up and hair down and rid of red ribbons and flowers. They were all bunched in her hand before she carelessly tossed it onto her desk—tomorrow's clean up. Clad in her cute pink pajamas, Aerith cupped Cloud's face lovingly and gave his cheeks a squeeze before she went over to her bed and sat down on it.

"Mom, tuck me in," she pouted.

"I'm not your mom," scoffed Cloud before he did as she said and gently put her down. Soft snickers erupted from her mouth as Cloud kneeled over her bedside and pulled the blanket over her. However, they immediately became noises of complaint when he pulled it past her neck and muffled her face with it.

"Cloud!" She shot her hands out from the sides and slapped at him, instantly pulling the blanket away from her face.

"That's what you get for drawing me like that," he smirked as he signaled at the post-it note with his thumb. "After all, I'm just some 'huge, dumb idiot.'"

"Well, you made me really sad," Aerith whimpered as she clasped at the ends of her blanket.

"What did I do?"

"… You rejected me."

Saying it out loud made Aerith embarrassed for some reason, and she squealed as she covered her face back up with the sheets and rolled around in her bed, earning a sweatdrop from the blond.

"Aerith."

" _Kya_ , I don't even want to think about it! Oh my gosh, that was so embarrassing."

"… Aerith."

"How could you! And with a _hand_ too. Ugh, if today didn't happen, I would've already—"

With one hand, Cloud tugged the blanket off of her face, leaned over her bed, and kissed her right on the mouth, instantly stopping her little tantrum.

"There, I'm not rejecting you now, am I?" he muttered, pulling back and looking away from Aerith's stunned eyes. "So, let's forget that ever happened."

"No fair," whined Aerith, a blush forming on her cheeks at his surprise kiss. "When did you ever become the one to call the shots? That post-it's staying there forever, by the way. It's cute."

"Is not."

"Is too! Now tuck me in properly." Just like last time, Aerith threw the blankets off of her to restart the whole process, earning an exasperated sigh from Cloud.

"Why are you like this?" he questioned, taking the sheets and pulling it over her body again. This time, he didn't suffocate her. "You're just like a kid."

"Because I know I'll get babied by you," she tittered, shifting around a bit to get comfortable. "You're always taking care of me, and I like it very much. Now pat my head."

When he was about to do so, she glared at his hand. "Without the gloves."

"You're _so_ childish," he snorted, but he listened to her every command as he tore off his gloves and laid them by the side. Slowly, he reached out and placed a hand on her head, just like before as he gently pet it. Aerith let out a hum of satisfaction as she snuggled into her blankets deeper.

"Did you have fun today?" she murmured, closing her eyes. "I hope it wasn't too terrible for you."

"It… was good," he confessed. Not that he was going to say it out loud—Aerith probably already knew anyway without him saying it—but he was glad that she forced him to go that day when he bumped into Kunsel in Sector 7. Without her, he would've never agreed to such an ordeal, and as a result, he never would've seen the things he saw today. From meeting old faces again to that horrible, awkward speech he gave, everything turned out more positive than he thought it would, and it was all thanks to her and the company he came with. "It was enjoyable. Seeing everyone having fun was good too."

"I'm sure they were happy to spend it with you."

"Mhm."

Cloud bit his bottom lip when it suddenly grew quiet. Even if it was out of place, he still decided to say it since he wanted at least one of his many mistakes to be fixed today. "Aerith."

"Hm?" She opened her eyes again, allowing him to see their shine again.

"You looked… really pretty today."

"Oh?" The sleepiness in her eyes went away as she blinked twice at him. Then, a big smile appeared on her face. "Really? Didn't think it was too cold for me?"

"Okay, you don't need to bring in the full picture like that," he knitted his eyebrows together, displeasure evident. "Cut me some slack."

"Not anytime soon. I got dolled up and everything, walked in those really dumb high heels, and wore a dress I didn't even plan to wear, _just_ for you."

"For me?"

Again embarrassed, Aerith hid her face beneath her blanket, but she still proceeded to speak through it. "Is it weird that I wanted you to at least think it looked good on me?"

"Well, it worked," Cloud chuckled as he grasped onto her blanket to pull it down just to see her face. The hugest pout greeted him, which made him laugh some more. "You're really pretty, Aerith."

"And not the dress?"

"I mean, the dress is nice too, but—" He stopped himself there before he said anything too out of character—not that he hadn't already—but it was enough for another big smile to grace her features as she reached forward to clasp his hand in hers, intertwining their fingers in a tight lock.

"Yay, mission complete," she winked as she hugged his hand to her chest like a teddy bear. Not sure how to continue patting her head, he turned completely towards her so that his other hand can reach and do the job. Noticing his dedication, she hummed, "You're really sweet, Cloud."

"… Just following orders."

"Ouch, don't call them that," scolded Aerith at his reference to his affectionate actions as orders. "You're making me sound like I'm ordering you around like some pack chocobo."

"Aren't you?"

" _So_ uncute," grunted Aerith before she resigned back into her comfort. And then her voice became incredibly soft, volume barely above a whisper. "But I still like you anyway."

His eyes had been trying to fight the sleep the entire time—he had wanted to see her sleep first before he left—but he instantly jerked awake at her confession as his hand paused in its soothing repetition and pulled back to his side.

Seeing his stupor, Aerith began to grow a bit insecure. "I just wanted to have this short talk. Can I assume that you feel the same? After all this?" She tightened her hold on his hand, emphasizing their closeness and affection for each other. "Cloud, I… really like you. A lot. If you haven't noticed yet."

When he still didn't say anything, she started to horribly ramble, trying to fill in every single space of silence he gave her. "I mean, you kissed me and everything and hugged me, so I don't think it would be weird for me to think that way. Okay, it would be a little bit too late to take it all back because I think it would really break me, but I guess you can still take it back if you're having doubts because—"

Cloud silenced her by pulling their interlocked hands and kissing the back of her hand, eyes never leaving her as his lips burned her skin.

"I feel the same way," he half-whispered, mouth lingering. His hot breath blew against her skin, causing shivers to run up her arm and down her spine as she drowned in his mako-sapphire eyes. "And I'm not going to take it back."

Her heart beat painfully against her chest as the handsome man before her looked at her in a way that made her feel as if she was the only person he ever saw in this world. Breath hitched in her throat, she watched as Cloud with his other hand felt her hairline, thumb tenderly tracing her forehead before traveling down to run his fingers through her long and silky tresses.

He really liked her hair down, but it would take him a while before he outwardly admitted it.

"So, is the short talk done?" he breathed. "You can talk some more if you want, and I'll be here, but I honestly think it's getting late."

"Yes," she said dreamily. "That's all I wanted to hear for today."

"Right? So, draw me better."

The romantic mood got spoiled pretty quick as Aerith frowned and Cloud laughed again.

"You're calling me childish? You're _so_ petty!" Aerith took her hand away, but the smile that slipped past her frown was clear as she hid back into her blankets. "Go! You are excused, Mr. Bodyguard. Safe travels to you, sir."

Cloud rolled his eyes at her sass before he patted her blanketed body and put back on his gloves before standing up. However, Aerith stopped him one last time by grabbing onto his wrist.

"Wait, I have one last thing to say though," Aerith spoke softly.

"Hm?" he hummed, and he knelt back down a bit. "What is it?"

"Know that… no matter what happens, I'm by your side. Always."

Perturbed at her sudden declaration, he was about to ask her what was wrong, but she quickly shook her head with a closed-mouth smile. "I just wanted to let you know that, is all."

"… The same goes for you," and he gave her a small smile before he stood up and went over to get his sword. Taking a long inhale, he took in the air of Aerith's room one more time before he made his exit.

"You forgot something!" Aerith called out just before his hand reached the knob. He turned around to see her arms out of her blanket, beckoning him over.

"I did?"

"Goodnight kiss!"

Cloud almost clicked his tongue at the sound of another one of her requests, but this one wasn't too unpleasant as he walked back over to her bed and bent down.

"You're so silly," he whispered, cupping one side of her face with a gentle hand.

"But you listen to me anyway," Aerith whispered back.

They both met half-way into the kiss, instantly warming each other up from the sweet and chaste connection. Aerith freely giggled against his mouth before she plopped her head back down onto the pillow, disconnecting their kiss.

"Goodnight, Cloud," she said.

Cloud gave her another quick peck before he straightened back up. "Goodnight."

And he left, softly closing the door behind him as he went.

However, the force was enough to rattle the frame that sat on her desk, just by a bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel bad that I do not interact with my AO3 fans as much as I do with my FF in terms of author notes, but it's because I don't want to sound repetitive when I type it out on one platform (it'll lose the meaning!), but regardless, I still want to talk to you guys too.
> 
> So you guys have asked if I sleep. Answer: yes I do, but at un-human times lol. It is because of the quarantine, and being a college student with all online classes now that are asynchronous, I can wake up any time in the day and get the work done haha
> 
> Y'all have asked how I update so fast. I will copy and paste my message from FF which 100% applies to all of you guys here too:
> 
> Again, love the reviews. Ty for appreciating my work, even though it comes out really quick, it does take hours for me to write a chapter lol. Just 1k words takes around 1-2 hours for me, so you can just imagine how many hours each chapter that is around 6k-10k words takes to pump out haha. Do I really have this much time in my hands? I won't lie here: No, I don't. I am a busy, busy pre-med student about to graduate college lol xDdDdDDD (wow i am an adult? shit), but honestly, knowing people love my story and knowing how writing is such a passion for me (AND KNOWING HOW CLERITH IS JUST BEAUTIFUL HOT DAMN), and having a hobby during this hella depressing time makes making my schedule tighter just to write fanfic even more worth it. A beautiful community, and I don't want to have it any other way!:
> 
> So there you guys go! Love you all, love the comments, love the appreciation, and I hope I can make all of you clerith fans happy with whatever writing I have for this fandom that is lacking stories in this category. Much love, and please stay tuned!


	17. Chapter 17

"You want another job?"

Cloud drummed his fingers against the bar counter awkwardly, avoiding Tifa's incredulous gaze on him as he kept his eyes on the iced water pitcher, who was his best friend whenever he wanted to look somewhere else and not at someone's eyes.

Noticing his odd habit of just staring at the pitcher from time to time, Tifa messed with him and took it within her hold. Now, he had nothing else to look at anymore. "Care to explain?"

"I'm getting paid by Elmyra today," he uncomfortably announced. Then, he said nothing else. Tifa waited for him to explore some more on what he meant by that, but when she realized that that was all he was going to let on, she quirked a brow up.

"And?"

He looked up at her and pegged her to answer it for herself with his eyes. Because of their deep understanding of each other, these silent looks of communication were usually enough to get the message, but Tifa wasn't on the same wavelength today as she continued to give him a morbid look. "Cloud, for heaven's sake, just _say it_."

"It's weird," he finally admitted. "Getting paid by Aerith's mom doesn't settle well for me. So, I want another job. A stable one would be nice, but I don't mind merc jobs—just get me out of this bodyguarding business."

The lightbulb finally lit up above Tifa's head as she realized what he was getting so bothered about, and a small grin stretched across her face as she leaned her elbows onto the counter.

"Feels weird getting paid by your lover's mother just by spending time with her?"

She hit the bullseye as Cloud stopped drumming his fingers and licked his lips nervously.

"We're not just _spending time_ ," he tried to deny. "I'm actually still on post to guard her every time she goes to sell her flowers, but—yeah—okay, do you think you can find me a job?" When he found himself trying to explain to Tifa how indeed weird it was to get paid by his… _lover's_ —he still found it hard to refer to Aerith as such officially—mother just to be by her side, he was reminded of how inarticulate he was with words again, so he just gave up. "No rush though. It's a request—not a demand."

"Okay, I'll see what's out there," Tifa chuckled. When she was about to ask him if he had any sort of preference, his phone vibrated.

"Time to go," he sighed even though he was supposed to be happy for payday. "I'll see you later, Tifa."

"Bye."

Tifa watched sadly as Cloud's back disappeared through the doors of her bar, never turning to look back as he eagerly—or, for today, dreadfully—headed over to Sector 5. Tifa slowly inhaled to let it all out before she smiled to herself. She wasn't going to lie to herself—it was a bit hard to swallow the fact that Cloud and Aerith were a thing now, even if they never announced it. It was pretty obvious that something had changed between them once they had returned to the ballroom after their time alone, but Tifa made sure not to let it affect her or, rather, show in her actions.

"Nope, nope, let's not go there, Tifa," she encouraged herself as she gave herself a firm and determined nod of her head. She was going to stay supportive, no matter what, because she was happy for them—truly. "Time to chat up some customers today for Cloud's new job!"

~.~.~

"Thank you for being diligent and making sure she doesn't get into trouble."

Cloud nearly winced outwardly when he took the bag of gil Elmyra handed over to him. Never did he ever thought he would be unhappy at receiving money for dutifully performing his job, but being with Aerith gave him many new, _different_ , experiences.

Getting paid by her mom was not one he would've wanted to add into the collection, though.

"Where's Aerith?" he asked, and he instantly wished his voice had sounded more business-like because now, he somehow seemed to enter a territory that he did not want to explore so soon.

"She's upstairs," Elmyra answered, mildly cautious at his sudden inquiry of her daughter instead of his exit out the door. "Are you guys going somewhere?"

Before Cloud could muster up some sort of half-assed excuse because they had not planned to go anywhere—he was just here to pick up his pay—Aerith clambered down the stairs, a happy smile adorned on her face as she saw the sight of Cloud and her mother.

"Nice, you're here!"

It was obvious that Aerith was coming to his rescue as she pulled him out of the uncomfortable situation. "I'm planning to go eat lunch at Sector 1 today."

"Is that so?" said Elmyra. "Well, go on along then. Don't tire your bodyguard this often though just for your food cravings."

"Yes, yes. See you later, Mom!" Aerith gave her mother a kiss on the cheek before she made her exit. Cloud gave Elmyra a small nod before he quickly followed behind Aerith and escaped the observant gaze of her oddly scary mother.

When he was outside a good distance away from her normally welcoming home, Cloud released the breath he didn't realize he was holding and sighed at the bag of money in his hands.

Noticing the conflicted look he gave it, Aerith giggled as she popped her face right under his line of sight. "Not happy with your pay this month?"

"That's not it," he grumbled as he hooked it onto one of his belts. "Not too fond of receiving money just to, uh," Cloud stiffly rolled his shoulder, not wanting to just say it out loud. "Yeah."

"Just to what, hm? Spend time with me?" Aerith teased, leading the familiar way through her sector. At this point, everyone in Sector 5 already knew who he was since it was hard not to with his infamous spiky hair and gigantic sword. He even received greetings from the kids whenever he passed by them since they admired how cool he was with the weapon attached behind his back—the kids around here sure were fearless.

"That and because your mom doesn't seem to fond of me all of a sudden," answered Cloud.

Once they were out of Sector 5 and away from familiar faces, Aerith slipped her arm around his and attached herself closely to his side, sighing in contentment as she laid against his shoulder for a second before bringing her head back up to walk straightly.

"You're just imagining it," she assured as they walked through the field empty of monsters. This was their detour to the train station without anybody seeing them. "She's just overprotective of me, even though I'm a full-grown adult now, but I don't mind. She has had too many close experiences with Shinra during the time she kept me hidden away from them, so she's pretty scarred. Don't blame her?"

"Wasn't blaming her for anything," said Cloud as he kept his senses sharp for any surprise spawn of monsters. "That's understandable. I'm just more bothered with how I'm just getting paid to be with you." He then thought about it before he said it—there was no harm. "I talked to Tifa today. Asked her if she could find me another job."

"Oh?" Aerith twisted her body so that she could face him while they walked. "And?"

"She said she'll see."

Aerith let the silence sink in as she hummed, temporarily receding into her thoughts for a moment before she gave him an encouraging smile. "Take your time. Don't feel too guilty, hm? We're pretty well off since the P.S. committee gave us, er, _compensation_ , for everything Shinra has done to me as the last Cetra around here as an apology, so don't worry if you think you're just leeching off on us."

"That doesn't make me feel better about it," he sighed. "I'm surprised that _you_ don't feel guilty."

"Of course, I am. It's just that, well," Aerith snuggled against his side more as she let out a happy laugh, "It's only during these moments when you're bodyguarding me that we can spend time together like this, so let me live a little bit, hm?"

Cloud unfortunately had to agree with her; despite his reluctance to receive money for just seeing Aerith, bodyguarding was the only excuse they had to meet each other. It wasn't as if he could just knock on Elmyra's door and take Aerith away on a date or anything—he needed to dig his grave first before he could ever do something as daring as that.

However, keeping their relationship a secret from Elmyra had been a huge elephant in the room since the celebration a week ago, and it took only one week to realize that they couldn't just continue like this without their moral conscience just eating away at them.

"It'll be fine. I'm sorry for insisting to… keep it a secret," Aerith glumly apologized. "Elmyra needs time to warm up to you or else she's going to freak. But it'll be fine! She already knows that you're kind of part of my social circle now and everything—sooner or later, she _has_ to get used to seeing your face around even after the bodyguarding ordeal is done with. Why don't you join us for dinner sometime?"

"Right, like it's totally normal to invite your _bodyguard_ for some dinner," Cloud sardonically replied, wondering what kind of logic Aerith was currently working on. "But I'll take your word for it—I'll try to find another job soon before I 'warm up' to Elmyra." She snickered at his always-snappy attitude before she did a little hop and kissed him on the cheek, immediately feeling his muscled arm tense up at her surprise attack.

"Do your friends know about us?" asked Aerith curiously.

"I didn't say anything, but I'm sure I don't need to," Cloud muttered irritably. Aerith didn't understand why he said it like that, but unbeknownst to her, his friends had been bugging him way more than they ever had in their lifetimes ever since their visit to topside together. Jessie had given him so many eyebrow wiggles during the week whenever Aerith came over to Sector 7. She conspired with Biggs and Wedge, and Cloud wouldn't have known about the theories they were making up about their relationship if he hadn't accidentally walked in on their conversation about how he would've had to "get a personality change in order for him to get the girl." He even saw gil coins get passed between the three of them while their mischievous looks targeted at him, and he wondered if they even made an effort to keep their schemes a secret. While Barret had stayed out of the young talk, Cloud never felt anything cringier than when he spotted the man's discreet winks towards his direction every time he saw him and Aerith together. As for Tifa, he might as well be see-through for her.

"Should I ask?" Aerith mused as she saw his grimace forming just from thinking about his friends.

He shook his head before he let out an exasperated sigh. "Don't. I think you're better off not knowing. Ignorance is bliss."

When they reached the end of their detour, their alone time was coming to a finish as well. However, before they emerged from the trail and into the public space once more where the train station laid, the two of them did what they always did whenever they reached the end.

Silently, Cloud backed Aerith against the fence, hands cradling her elbows as he brought his body closer to hers. Aerith held onto his shoulders and tilted her head to the side expectantly before he kissed her, away from the eyes that was just a turn of a corner away.

Since they didn't really have any private space anywhere, they resorted to kissing each other in the monster trail where no one dared traverse upon. While he was uneasy to keep his eyes closed since a monster could've just popped up any time, he dared to take the risk just so that he could have this short, intimate moment with her. As for Aerith, she was happy to oblige.

When Cloud pulled back just by a bit so that he could switch sides, Aerith turned her head away so that he would miss. His mouth landed on her cheek instead, so he retracted his head and shot her a quizzical look. In return, she simply gave him a smile, and he could already spot the odd gleam in it from a mile away.

"What?" he questioned, a bit nervous. It already took him more effort than necessary just to initiate a kiss with her, so when she played these types of games with him, he got a lot more conscious about his actions.

Noticing his uneasiness, Aerith reached up and patted the side of his head, affectionately smoothing out his hair. While he liked all of her subtle touches, he couldn't help but feel like he was some sort of puppy to her right now.

Then, she asked him a very difficult question, one he preferred not to answer.

"Cloud, have you ever been in a relationship before?"

Nearly choking on his saliva, he swallowed down the sudden urge to cough as he stared at her. Already knowing how he just gave himself away with the small fumble—not that he was going to lie or anything—he slowly shook his head.

"No."

"Am I your first?"

"… Yes," then he frowned before she could ask even more sensitive questions, "But why are you asking?"

"Nothing," she said in a sing-song voice, but this caused his eyes to drown her in skepticism. "Just something that has been on my mind, but it's nothing major and very fleeting."

"You rejected a kiss from me," he blatantly stated. For some reason, he didn't have any embarrassment from saying _that._ "Gonna fill me in anytime soon?"

Aerith hummed under her breath as she studied his facial features. Her hand moved from his head so that it could rest against the side of his face, and he automatically pressed his cheek against it. Just when he thought they were returning to the mood, she asked him another difficult, difficult question. This time, he _really_ didn't want to answer it.

"I was just wondering, if this is your first relationship, then why are you so good at kissing, hm?" she tilted her head to the side curiously. Cloud couldn't tell if he was treading dangerous waters with the way she looked at him so innocently, but knowing how he had fucked up many times before because he was dumb enough to fall for it, he made sure he planned his words carefully—very, very carefully.

"Uh," he trailed.

That is, if he had any to even say.

"Yes?" she smiled, awaiting his answer. When she saw his mildly intimidated expression, she laughed and patted his cheek. "C'mon, I'm not going to be a jealous lover or anything. It's a genuine question. We're both adults now, aren't we? Just curiosity."

Seeing how she genuinely aimed to only satiate her curiosity, Cloud steeled himself before he answered her question.

"I've never been in a relationship with anyone, but that, uh, doesn't mean I haven't… _done_ stuff." Cloud couldn't believe he was admitting this to her so early on in their relationship, but nothing beat being truthful. "But it's been two years since then, so I haven't seen anyone until I met you. Plus, it was just one person, so I wasn't… sleeping around."

"Two years?" Aerith hadn't expected it to be that long, but Cloud didn't know that fact surprised her as he gave her a disconcerting frown.

"What?"

"No, nothing, I just thought that you were recently… _active_ before you met me," Aerith embarrassingly admitted, earning an incredulous look from him.

"What made you think that?"

"I mean, you and Tifa seemed—" Aerith shut her mouth. She hadn't meant to actually say her name because she knew it wasn't really any of her business to just pull out names out on the dinner platter, but it was too late as Cloud's mako eyes widened.

"How'd you—"

"Cloud, it's obvious there's history between you two," Aerith interrupted before he finished. "I've always known." This caused him to look away. "But that's fine! Now that I have a better sense of what went on between you two, my curiosity is successfully quenched. Thanks."

When she spotted the guilty look on his face, Aerith honestly didn't know why he had it.

"Sorry," he apologized.

It was her turn to frown. "Um, why are you apologizing?"

He then turned his eyes back to look at her, not expecting the calmness in her voice. Wasn't she supposed to be angry right now or something? She blinked at him, and she did her cute little head tilt again.

"I'm sorry—about my past relations with Tifa," he said. "Sorry if it makes you uncomfortable." He then looked away for some reason, even though he had no reason to feel ashamed, but the more he spoke, the more scared he got at the idea of driving Aerith away again, so he swallowed all his pride and prepared what he had to say next. "But my relationship with you is different, Aerith. I promise. You're—"

"Hey, Cloud, look at me, silly," Aerith took both her hands and clasped his face between them, forcing him to look up at her. Her gaze was soft, and it made him feel like a silly teenager again as she laughed so gently and caressed his cheeks so soothingly. "I told you—I'm not some crazy, jealous lover. I really was just curious, relax. Don't say sorry to me about this stuff."

She giggled when he took one of her hands and moved it over to his mouth, kissing the inside of it as he listened to her encouraging words. "I respect whatever relationship you had and have with Tifa because I know she's important to you, so you should respect it too—don't apologize for having it. I'll get mad for real."

"Sorry," he murmured into her hand. The vibrations he made against her skin made her tingle. She nodded at him approvingly.

"Good. Thank you for being honest with me, Cloud. I really appreciate it." Aerith half-whispered. "You're really are cute. But now you've gotten me wondering again—I'm what?"

"Hm?"

"Finish what you were going to say. 'My relationship with you is different. I promise. You're—'?" she quoted, her mischievous smile coming back at full blast as Cloud began to feel the embarrassment again.

"Stop," he complained, but he nonetheless dropped her hand so that he could pull her in for a hug. She instantly hugged him back, squeezing tightly as she rocked them back and forth a little bit.

"Okay, I will. Sorry, I was a bit mean though, wasn't I?" she laughed into his shirt. "Your reactions are adorable. I can't help but tease you when I see the perfect opportunity—just tell me when it gets too much, hm?"

"It's fine," he said. "It's my fault anyway."

"What is?"

"That I'm not that good with words."

Aerith's heart nearly burst at how soft Cloud Strife really was deep within that hard, stone-cold wall of his, and she squealed into his shoulder as she jumped up and down from excitement in his arms. Cloud, who had no idea what kind of thoughts were making her act like this, simply accepted the fact that there were going to be times where he just wouldn't be able to read her mind, but that was okay—it came with the package, and he didn't mind the mystery too much.

Just when the two of them pulled apart to have another kiss, the sound of the next train snapped them out of it.

"Shit," Cloud cursed as he distanced himself and began to walk towards the station, pace increasing exponentially. "I'm not waiting another thirty minutes for the train to come by. Let's go."

Aerith laughed at his impatience before she broke into a run, caught up to him, and pulled him by the hand.

"Why are you walking? We gotta run!"

Cloud quickly followed her lead before smiling a little bit to himself.

Together, the two of them ran towards the open doors of the train from afar, but honestly, Cloud didn't really care if they missed it. It would just mean he had another thirty minutes with her in the monster trail. Certainty, Aerith wouldn't mind that either.

Being truthful really was the way to go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter!! It's short because it fluffy (gotta be real here, long chapter = requires drama) so I hope this is okay! Since a lot of you voiced how you guys don't want a bomb yet (LOLOLOL) this chapter was made for you :))) Seems like you guys enjoy my romance (? LOL) so I really hope this chapter satisfies this for you! Thank you thank you for all of your lovely comments, I love reading them and they make me so happy and hehehehe it is good that I'm enjoying writing as much as you enjoy reading it :)))))) big hearts to you, stay tuned!


	18. Chapter 18

"Okay, they're _definitely_ together."

"Jessie, I thought we already went over this!"

"Guys, I think you should quiet it down a bit because—"

"I only had my doubts because why would a pure, lovely woman such as Aerith ever be interested in _Cloud_ , a buffoon whose romancing skills are near nonexiste—"

Jessie choked on her own words when an arm from behind wrapped her in a headlock which was tight enough to shut her up. She knew only one person who would dare be this rough and brute to a woman.

"What were you going to say about me?" Cloud growled as he tightened it just by a little bit, once again walking into their _interesting_ conversation by pure coincidence. "Go ahead and finish."

"Yield, yield!" she slapped a hand on his arm, half-laughing as she shouted for him to let go in the bar. 7th Heaven teemed with life as everyone enjoyed a Friday night out with friends and family after the week's toils, so even as Jessie raised her voice for Cloud to pardon her, there was absolutely no mercy from his part as the spirits of the bar drowned out her pleas.

"If I see another gil exchanged between you three, this won't be the only treatment you'll get from me," Cloud let out an exasperated breath before he let Jessie go.

Aerith, who had been by his side from the moment they entered the bar to when he overheard the three's rather entertaining conversation, laughed as she now understood why Cloud had been reluctant to explain his friendship dynamics ever since the celebration. Jessie's exclusive treatment of eyebrow wiggles she had taunted Cloud with was now extended to Aerith as she grinned wickedly from ear-to-ear.

"Our two lovebirds are here! Haven't seen you two up close in a while—can't get enough of each other?" Jessie cooed as she elbowed Cloud in the stomach. "Something's telling me that it's just not bodyguarding anymore!"

" _Jessie._ "

"Jessie!"

While Cloud instantly shot the irritated warning glare, Aerith half-covered her face with a hand in embarrassment as her other pushed the brunette by the arm, earning a chortle from the bomber as she stood up and patted Aerith's shoulders from behind in encouragement.

"No need to hide it anymore, you two. Just come out clean already!"

"What? So that you can rake Biggs and Wedge free of their money? I'm not humoring you there," muttered Cloud as he took a seat next to Biggs on the table, calling it a day for bodyguarding.

Tifa had texted him for an emergency monster hunt; the numbers had increased within the trails for the past three days—probably due to the mako leak that hadn't been plugged up since last week. With Tifa asking for his assistance (with an apology and a dinner on her tab for making him work double duty), Cloud didn't really mind the extra load. Besides, he hadn't swung his sword around in a while, and his lack of a use for it made him tempted to just leave it at home on some days—lugging pure metal on his back nearly twenty-four seven was _not_ the way to go for maintaining healthy posture.

However, Aerith wasn't part of the plan when she insisted in sticking around to help out. It was a bit ironic on his end to even let her go near any of the monsters voluntarily, but with her pushiness and capability of warding the creatures off herself every time she crossed their paths to reach Sector 7, it was quite difficult for Cloud to persuade her otherwise.

And while it was great to have a little bit more time with her after his bodyguarding shift was over, the same could not be said when his annoying dweebs of friends were hanging around them as if they were a circus show on demand. He didn't know if Aerith was just immune to their obvious looks of slyness, but Cloud sure wasn't as he kept glaring at Jessie when she kept perking her eyebrows up suggestively.

"Sorry, I kept you guys waiting," huffed Tifa once she came out from the back and went up to their table. "Had to teach the new hires the ropes for a bit on how to keep the fort up around here."

"Finally took my suggestion about hiring people?" remarked Cloud. "I don't know how you managed to run this bar as a one-man show all this time."

"Of course, I had people like you and Barret helping me out on busy days before," Tifa cooed as she took the seat next to Jessie. She giggled when she remembered a fond memory. "I won't ever forget waiter Cloud last year—one because I'd never thought you'd agree to it, and two because I never lost so many customers in a day before."

"Why did you even think Cloud and hospitality would ever work out?" Biggs chuckled as he gave the stoic a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Customer service? With Cloud Strife? _Pfft._ "

"We got some monsters to kill or not? Where's Barret?" Cloud grunted, standing up to end the useless chit-chat. Then, he moved his eyes over to Aerith, who gave him a small smile in curiosity. "And are you seriously coming with us?"

"Aerith? Going with us on the hunt? Oh my gosh, _girl_ ," Jessie squealed as she clapped her two hands together. "Show us what you're made out of! With your looks, no offense or anything, I didn't know you could kick ass!"

"Well, I'm not like you and Tifa, but I got some strength in me," Aerith nodded as she flexed her skinny arms. "I'm sure SOLDIER would take me in any day with these bad boys!"

"You're killing me here," deadpanned Cloud, highly unamused with her antics this time around, but he couldn't help but crack a small smile at her silliness. "If you're so certain about that, don't come screaming for me to help. Anyways, Barret?"

"This might be a surprise to you, but Barret is actually much older than us," Tifa sarcastically let on. "He got a kid to take care of—missing your partner in crime that badly?"

"Please, if he's not going to be here, that's great. Now I don't have to watch my back for 'accidental' bullets firing at me," the blond scoff, distaste evident at Tifa's terrible guess. He then jerked a thumb over at the bar entrance, impatient to just get the show on the road already; his hands were just _itching_ to wield his sword. "Now let's stop dawdling and get to work."

"Geez, who died and made you boss?" Jessie snorted before she stood up. She led the way out of the busy bar, but not without jabbing Cloud in the stomach with an elbow. However, with his brace, it was ineffective as he rolled his eyes at her back and sauntered after her along with everyone else.

On the way to the monster trails, Cloud voluntarily plugged his ears by walking forward with Wedge and Biggs to stay out of earshot from the three girls. With the way they were giggling with Aerith, there was no way he was just going to stick around to hear any of their female chatter; while he wasn't the type to talk about relationships, there was no say that Aerith would be the same.

"So, so, so?"

Jessie kept bumping Aerith on the shoulder with her own, a wild grin stretched across her face as she began to dig for the answers that Cloud had been too cheap with. "It's been two weeks or three since we went to topside, so why haven't I gotten a confirmation yet? Cloud has been so secretive about you guys, it's driving me nuts!"

"You know how he is, Jessie," Tifa chuckled as she switched places with Aerith for the center—poor girl was getting _rammed_ by the bomber for answers. "Someone would have to be holding him by the leg over a cliff or something to get him to spill."

Just when Aerith thought Tifa was on her side about this, the smile she gave was too eerily similar to Jessie's. The curiosity that shined in both of their eyes was unmistakable, and while Jessie was more upfront about it, Tifa was more downlow.

"Okay, what do you guys even want to know?" Aerith laughed as she pushed Tifa by the shoulder, causing the domino effect to roll over to Jessie. "Hasn't Cloud said anything already? Don't tell me he has been shy about it!"

"Cloud Strife? Shy? Is that what it is?" Jessie dramatically whipped her ponytail over her shoulder as she stared fire into Cloud's back. With some odd sixth sense of his, Cloud looked over his shoulder to glare right back at Jessie before he resumed his conversation with Wedge and Biggs. "Big block of ice like him being _shy_? Just end this world already!"

"Oh, Aerith, you don't know _how_ flustered he gets when we mention you," Tifa added in. "During dinner last weekend, just the sound of your name by Biggs about the Leaf House got him all jumpy underneath the table. He nearly spilled water over the table too!"

"What? No way." Aerith quirked an eyebrow up at the two girls, wondering if they were just exaggerating about the blond. Sure, he was a bit clumsy with the whole romancing idea, but the thought of Cloud Strife just being shaky with his hands was enough to raise a question mark above her head. "I'm sure he's not _that_ different."

"He's got it bad for you, girl," Jessie winked. "Real bad. So who asked out who first?"

"… It was mutual."

Jessie squealed, and the only thing she could do to vent out her excitement was hit Tifa by the side of her arm repeatedly.

"And who kissed who first?"

"Jessie, c'mon," Tifa scolded, but her eyes immediately whipped over to Aerith's for an answer as well as she continued to play the devil's advocate. When Aerith let out a squeal of her own as she covered her face with her two hands, Tifa inserted some cushioning. "Aerith, you don't have to answer this girl's silly questions if it makes you uncomfortable."

"No, it's okay, I'm just not used to this type of talk," Aerith said in a mildly high-pitched voice. The red across her cheeks was evident, but her bright smile never evaporated as she let out a small laugh. "To answer your question… it was him. Who kissed me first."

Cloud couldn't take it anymore as he physically brought his hands up to cover his ears when both Tifa's and Jessie's squeals of excitement got his levels of endurance skyrocketing to break the meter. Wedge and Biggs simply gave him brotherly pats on the back, but the smirks on their faces never disappeared either as they snickered at his misery.

This torture was _exactly_ why he didn't want to talk about it.

"Cloud got some in him, damn!" Jessie exclaimed as she reached over Tifa just to assault Aerith with more shoulder shakes. "Don't get me wrong, he's freaking _hot_ ," at this, Tifa rolled her eyes at Jessie's blatant comment, "One of the sexiest hunks I've ever met in my life, but his lack of emotional sensing just _kills_ it. Aerith, just how on earth do you deal with this piece of rock?"

"Aw, I mean he tries," Aerith shyly confessed as she played with a few flowers in her basket. Although shy to talk about her relationship with Cloud like this with other people, Aerith was eager to have this type of talk; after all, she never had the chance to experience something like this. Telling Tifa, though, made her slightly uncomfortable, not because of her past relationship with Cloud, but because the Cetra was scared this type of conversation would hurt her. However, the soft gleam in the raven-haired's eyes signaled otherwise, welcoming and happy to listen to anything she had to say. "He's actually pretty sweet if you talk him into it."

Jessie mocked a gag as she stuck a finger into her mouth. "Sweet? Ugh. You know what—don't say anymore. I think I want to keep his mysterious image unchanged; I seriously can't imagine him as anything else."

"But Jessie, you _know_ deep down Cloud's actually a sweetheart," Tifa said matter-of-factly as she laughed at the brunette's feigned look of disgust. "Who was the one who carried you all the way from Sector 4 back to your home that one day of clubbing when you twisted your ankle? He wouldn't even put you down for a second!"

"Must we talk about that night?" Jessie placed her two fingers against a temple as she remembered that horrible night of just partying like a wild animal. "I think that was where I told myself to drink less since, _boy_ , that was a _night._ " Then, she threw her hands up in defeat. "But yes, sure, Cloud _is_ a nice guy, but only when it comes down to it, which is _so_ not cute. Wouldn't you want a guy to shower you with love and adoration and— _ooh_ , just all that delicious stuff _all_ the time?"

Aerith simply laughed at Jessie's indirect diss at Cloud's abilities to be a loving partner; they really didn't expect much from the swordsman. However, they had quite an inaccurate image of him, because all Aerith had ever seen from him was care, concern, and consideration. Not wanting them to continue fostering this sort of misunderstanding about him, the Cetra began to give them some insider info on their relationship.

However, right when Aerith was about to open her mouth and spill all about Cloud's surprisingly romantic nature, the one and only stopped her.

"Okay, Aerith, enough."

Cloud had finally made his presence known again as he slowed down and grabbed Aerith by the arm, taking her away from the fortress of feminine territory. He glared at Tifa and Jessie, but especially towards Jessie since he knew Tifa was simply just riding along with the guilt train. While he had kept his distance, it was hard _not_ to tune in with what they were saying, and he was glad he did because he knew Aerith had no barriers in exposing their moments alone together to the world to hear.

"Look, isn't he such a shy cutie baby?" Aerith giggled as she hugged onto his arm tightly, much to his reluctance since they were right underneath the watchful eyes of his friends. She even reached up to give him a peck on the cheek, which instantly set aflame the skin of his face as he gave her a slightly disapproving look. "He's a grumpy baby too, but I personally think that's cute as well."

"Take it outside!" Jessie jokingly booed as she pointed her thumb down towards the ground. "There's no room for lovesickness around these parts of town!"

"You're right, so don't jump a guy too soon or else you're going to infect this entire sector with your deafening squeals," Cloud shot back, eyes narrowed as he waged war with the bomber.

Aerith's smile faltered when Cloud roughly shook her arm to get her off of him, and her heart even pricked a little bit at how he seemed so against being affectionate in front of his friends, but all her worries were casted away when he instead reached down to hold onto her hand, instantly earning him a collection of aw's and ooo's.

"You guys really are cute together!" Wedge innocently acknowledged as he gave them a thumbs up. "Makes my heart melt like cheese on a pizza, _mhm!_ "

"Leave it to Wedge to draw up a comparison between love and food," Biggs rolled his eyes. Aerith excited raised her hand at this, and Cloud already knew what kind of silly things would erupt from her mouth. While he knew it would kind of embarrass him, he let her anyway.

She was cute that way.

"Ooo, ooo, I'm good at those too! Cloud!" Aerith looked up at him expectantly with big, sparkly eyes.

"Yes?" he muttered, humoring her.

"Cloud, you're the tomato sauce to my spaghetti, avocado to my toast, cherry to my ice cream, cereal to my milk, and, and, and—"

Cloud bumped his shoulder with hers, urging her to just shut up already. Knowing her, she wouldn't stop until every pair on the Planet was named, and he didn't have the lifespan long enough to endure such a thing. However, her energy never failed to elicit stifled laughter from him, and it made all of his friends grin at him knowingly as he held a hand over his mouth to hide it.

"Who eats toast with avocado?" was his only response to her little rant.

Aerith dramatically gasped as she held up a hand over her own mouth. "Excuse _you_ , I do!"

"You're strange."

"I didn't hire you to call me weird and strange _constantly_ , okay, Mr. Bodyguard?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Too cute, it actually hurts," Jessie gasped for air as she feigned a stab wound to her chest, causing everyone to laugh as Cloud continued to glower at her during the rest of their way into the depths of the trails.

Everyone switched to work mode when monsters started to creep from the bushes and behind the litter that lined the fences at their arrival. Cloud let go of Aerith to wield his sword while Aerith summoned her staff. Tifa got ready her fists as Wedge, Biggs, and Jessie spread out in their usual formation as back-up for Cloud and Tifa. Since those two were the only ones who did most of the damage dealing, they tended to stay far from actual combat just to lend their assistance.

"So, when was the last time you and I had a couple of monsters to tussle with together?" Tifa smiled as her and Cloud slowly approached one of the bigger monsters from behind to catch it off guard. "The others might not know you that well, but I do, and I know you would _never_ turn down a monster hunt, right?"

"Didn't come here to have this sort of conversation with you," Cloud replied. He naturally tapped Tifa on the shoulder and signaled with his eyes on another medium-sized one on their left. "Seems to me that your fists have gotten quite rusty if you needed to call me for an emergency hunt, hm?"

"Too cheeky for your own good—don't act that way towards Aerith, alright?"

"Too late."

Their warm-up chatter ceased when the mutated rat sensed their presence and swiftly turned around, baring its fangs as its little feet propelled its large body.

"Jessie!" Cloud shouted.

"You don't need to tell me twice!"

Jessie pulled out the safety pin of the grenade and chucked it at the rat while Cloud and Tifa ducked and covered. With Jessie's initial attack, it alerted all of the monsters within the vicinity their presence as the biggest monster dealt with most of the damage from her bomb. To make sure that it was completely done and gone with, Cloud slashed its backside and twisted his sword into its body before running it down its length. Tifa covered him as tiny critters began to swarm them.

"Sure you're going to be alright?" Cloud asked Aerith once he ran back to her side when he had the chance. She had also shot her own spells as she skipped around in her dress, helping out Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie as much as she could with the area coverage.

"Don't worry about me, you dummy," Aerith winked as she reached out a hand and cupped the side of his face. A soft, green glow shimmered from her hand, and all his miniscule tiredness evaporated. "Go help Tifa or else you're totally going to lose to her in number count."

"She has never beaten me."

"Lies!" Tifa could be heard shouting as she threw her punches at a Swordipede who had swooped from the sky and attempted to behead her. "He's lying—don't listen to him! I've beaten him _plenty_ of times before!"

"Because _I'm_ the one always watching your back!" Cloud shouted back as he left Aerith. To prove his point, he swung a kick at an annoying Monodrive that sprung up from the floor and threatened to lurch at Tifa. While there were monsters that always mutated from time to time due to the random mako leaks from the ground, Shinra's junk was still out and about since no one took the time to excavate the sectors and rid them from the once-tyrannical company's junk and creations.

"Didn't know you guys had enough of a breath to keep yapping!" Biggs yelled as he shot a couple rounds at the wererats that emerged from their nests due to all the noise the gang was stirring up. "Cloud, above you!"

One of the worst things the gang ever had to deal with during these monster hunts were the creatures that _flew_. While they weren't the most dangerous ones out there to deal with, the lack of skills in aerial combat severely hindered their progress and combat. Barret made things better with his gun power, but without him here tonight, things were going to get real tedious.

"Tifa!" Cloud called for her.

"I'm on it!"

Aerith watched as Cloud kneeled a knee onto the floor and placed his hands onto the ground. Tifa ran towards him, and with a step onto his two hands, launched into the air as Cloud heaved her up and gave her the momentum to soar temporarily.

The crunch of the drake's bones made the Cetra wince as the martial artist swung her leg down and smacked its body down with her heel. She even landed on it once she reached the ground, giving the poor thing a sure death as Tifa hopped right off and swiped her hands for a job well done.

"Don't tell me you're relaxing now," Cloud continued to shoot his verbal shots as he grabbed onto her wrist and pulled her out of the way from a drake's descent down. "This is what happens when I'm not here for a couple of weeks?"

"Holy shit, just _shut up_ ," Tifa guffawed as she bumped him across the shoulder and pushed away from him. "You're talking way too much tonight! When were you ever so loud? Trying to impress your girlfriend with how much you got the entire field in the bag?"

"Am not," Cloud grunted as he separated from Tifa to deal with some of the land creatures.

While Aerith gave Tifa back-up and gave heals whenever anyone got a hit, she couldn't keep her eyes away from Cloud's form as he swung the Buster Sword with an agility that even she never saw before—and she had seen many brilliant swordsmen back in the day. It was definitely the mako that assisted him in swinging the block of metal around as if it was just some wooden stick—there was no way any normal human being could ever summon the strength to even lug the thing around for an entire day—but she knew that there was a lot more than just the mako-powered strength that encompassed his skill.

It was simply hard work put into polishing the skills he harnessed now, and it was a kind of skill that Aerith thought would've been similar to its previous owner. However, as she watched him with her observant, emerald eyes, she knew that the sword was of Cloud Strife's, from the tip of the blade down to the end of its hilt—not anyone else's.

And she really liked that.

"Looks like we've hit a nest of drakes or something—they aren't disappearing!" Jessie exclaimed as she chucked another bomb to detonate in the sky. "I don't want to waste my precious material on these small fries!"

"Need a little help?" Aerith giggled when Cloud managed to return back to her side as he ran away from an exploding Sweeper. His weariness was starting to show as he stabbed his sword onto the ground and leaned against it for a bit. Tifa was even worse as her kicks and punches started to slow while her breathing rate quickened. They were successful in wiping out all the critters that scurried on the ground, but the drakes were a different story as they flapped their wings mockingly at them.

"Biggs, mind shooting more or something?" groaned Cloud as he gave the shooter a desperate look. "These things don't look like they're decreasing in number, and I'm tired of throwing Tifa up even though I might not look it."

"Sorry, buddy, I'm trying my best." Biggs reloaded his gun as he attempted to slice his bullets through the wings.

"Are you trying to call me heavy?" Tifa gasped, both from shock and tiredness. "By the way, I'm counting, and I'm _definitely_ killing more things than you."

"Are you joking, who's the one getting you up there for the kills?"

"Are they always like this?" Aerith shouted at Jessie, grinning as she listened on to the two's competitive bantering. Jessie waved her hand to shoo the topic away.

"Don't even try to stop them—it's worse when Barret's here. Oh, _please_ , you don't want to see all three of them together on a monster hunt. Barret starts to shoot at Cloud, you see, and it's a whole hunking mess, especially when Cloud shifts his priorities and start swinging the Buster at the big man too while poor Tifa's on her own with the entire monster party. Talk about maturity, right?"

"Well, look at you," Cloud scoffed, "Acting all innocent as if you don't throw bombs at my way on purpose."

"What can I say, you're just _explosive_."

"Guys, c'mon, I'm burning way too many calories for tonight, let's hurry it up," Wedge whined. "You weren't lying when you said this hunt was big, Tifa!"

Amongst all the violence and bantering, Aerith laughed joyously as she exhausted her pool of magic to take away some of the weight of fatigue off their shoulders as much as she could. All of it was so much fun for her, and just hearing everyone and experiencing their love-hate for each other on the battle field was more than she would've expected from such a team-coordinated activity like this one. The synergy was great, and she was glad that she could be a part of it.

"Here, I'll end this in a jiffy for you guys," Aerith twinkled as she waved her staff happily. Cloud gave her a weird look after he ripped his sword out from another Monodrive.

"And what exactly do you have in store?" He then shook his head. "No, the real question is why you haven't taken it out yet."

"Because I wanted to see who would win," she mused before she gave Tifa a thumbs up. "I hate to say it, Cloud, but you definitely lost this one for tonight."

"Yes!" cheered Tifa.

"Not you too," Cloud placed a hand over his forehead as he shook his head in mock betrayal before he pointed to the sky and smirked. "Want to show me how you're going to deal with this?"

"Of course, who do you think I am?"

"A flower peddler."

"You are _so_ uncute."

Aerith let out a _hmph_ before she tightened the grip on her staff. Cloud backed away, sensing something big from the Cetra as he watched her in wonder. She focused a bit as she collected her magic in one place, the force of it whipping her dress back and forth as her braid waved in the air in gentle waves.

"Uh, are you charging a spell or something?" Cloud asked dumbly.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Aerith snapped back, eyes closed as the frown sketched across her forehead. "You're going to see something real cool—something I haven't done in a long time."

Everyone sat back as they watched the unfamiliar pink glow gather at the Cetra. When they squinted their eyes, they realized some sort of pink crystal was forming as it grew larger and larger. When the spell was done, she surprised everyone by whipping her staff and launching the crystal projectile at the drakes floating in the air above them. Cloud instantly shielded his eyes when the spell exploded in a burst of pink bright light. The pink crystal that she had concentrated all her magic into exploded into sharp fragments as it pierced all that was in its vicinity, instantly making it rain drakes as their bodies dropped from the skies, holes painfully etched into the velvety skin between their wing bones.

Cloud shamelessly dropped his jaw open, along with everyone else, as they watched the hindrances that plagued the entirety of their hunt just drop dead within a snap of a finger. When the pink crystal evaporated, nearly all of the drakes were gone with only a few left as all their comrades fell dead on the floor, twitching as the life in them quickly dissipated from their bodies.

"Wait, that was so overpowered!" yipped Jessie as she ran up to Aerith and stared wide-eyed at the simple white staff in her hand. "Aerith, what the heck!"

"I call it the Tempest," Aerith wagged a finger proudly at everyone before she charmingly tapped it against her cheek. "And my mom still insists I need a bodyguard."

She spoke too soon, however, when everyone's stupor from Aerith's grand, magical attack distracted their attention away from one of the drakes that flapped behind them. Before any one of them could react, it dived down and sunk its claws into the fabric of Aerith's clothes at the shoulders, taking her off as her feet left the ground and her body swung wildly in the air.

"Aerith!" shouted Cloud as he instantly dropped the Buster Sword and sprinted towards the drake to reach it before it ascended out of his reach. He gathered all the strength left in his leg muscles and launched himself off the ground as he stretched his arm to grab onto one of Aerith's dangling feet. Missing her by only a mere inch, gravity took him back down as he painfully rolled across the dirt floors before jumping right back up, mako eyes fierce as he stared helplessly at the drake which was far from arm's reach now. Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie didn't dare to shoot, too afraid of accidentally hitting Aerith.

"Let me go!" Aerith yelled as she attempted to knock it out of flight and stabbed blindly at it with her staff. "You seriously need a pedicure because these claws are in dire need of a foot work!"

"Now's not really the time to comment on a monster's nails!" Cloud grimaced as he placed his hands on his hips, eyes never leaving her form as they followed the drake's erratic flight due to all of Aerith's jabbing and resistance. Cloud signaled a hand towards Biggs, who looked at him in bewilderment, not understanding what he wanted.

"What is it, dude?"

"Hand me your gun," Cloud muttered.

"Excuse m— _what_? Don't tell me you're going to try to shoot at it with Aerith in its grasps."

"Cloud, I have never _ever_ seen you wield a gun before," Tifa said, flabbergasted as Biggs hesitantly handed him one of the pistols on his belt. "Are you sure you know how one works?"

Cloud spun the barrel with ease as he clicked it in place. He shot at a random direction to test it out, surprising Tifa as she jolted from the lack of a warning.

"You learn a lot of things when you're a SOLDIER," Cloud sighed. "And shooting a gun is definitely one in the bucket list. Aerith!"

"What?" The Cetra did not look like she was having a fun time as she successfully hit the drake in the face with her staff. Her eyes squinted as she looked to see how everyone was doing, and she immediately shook her head when she saw the way Cloud aimed the gun at her and the drake. "No, no, no, you are _not_ shooting at me, Cloud Strife!"

"Got any better idea?" he growled. "Do you trust me or not?"

"It's not that I don't trust you—I just don't want to be shot at! Look, I'll get down myself, no worries. I'm not a damsel in distress!"

"Right, _real_ convincing."

"I will fire you instantly if you dare shoot at me!"

"That threat's getting super old!"

"Now's not the time to have a lover's quarrel," Jessie snapped. "Cloud, for the love of the Planet, just put the gun down. I think everyone here can agree that nobody would want to get shot at, even in this type of situation."

Seeing how everyone was on the same page about this, Cloud reluctantly let his arm fall before he handed the firearm back to Biggs. Even though he had wielded a gun many times before during the rebellion, he wasn't sure himself if he could hit the mark, and just having Aerith there so close to the target made him exponentially nervous.

"Got any other ideas?"

No one needed to pitch in any ideas because Aerith didn't seem to be bluffing when she claimed she could get down herself.

"Okay, it's been great knowing how it feels like to fly, but I think the ride's over! I hope you get ingrown toenails for life—that is, if you live!"

Aerith concentrated the tip of her staff with magic before she swung her arm up and jabbed the drake right in the ribcage, instantly earning a howling screech from the creature as its claws loosened. Taking this as her chance, Aerith swung her feet up with all her strength before she flipped a leg forward during her small performance of acrobatics and landed a solid kick to the drake's head. All of her assaults were enough to get the drake to finally let go of her, and before she knew it, she entered freefall head first.

"Aerith, no!" Cloud didn't expect her sudden descent down, so he wasn't going to make it in time as he ran towards the patch of land where she was going to hit. Tifa and Jessie looked away in horror as Biggs and Wedge took a step forward, only to realize that they were way too far away to do anything.

Right when everyone thought the Cetra would get her bones crushed from the impact, she pointed her staff to the ground, and with all the magic she had left in her reserve, projected it to the dirt floors waiting below her.

"Aerith!"

Cloud's sprinting slowed when a circular, white light stained the ground she was about to land on. With head facing forward, Aerith touched it with her staff, and instead of crashing right into the dirt floors, her body stayed afloat for a bit as her staff hit the floor and kept her balanced in the air. She easily pushed off with it once her fall was softened, and before Cloud could even blink and take another step towards her, she landed on her feet right in front of him, a small victorious smile splayed across her face.

"Woo, that was a workout!" she cheerily said as she dematerialized her staff. However, before she put it away, she shot a magical spell at the drake for revenge, and down it went to join its comrades. She placed her hands on her hips, out of breath from all of those movements—it had been a long, _long_ time since she had been that active in the field. "Not going to lie, thought that drake would take me directly to its nest or something, but nothing a little bit of fussing can't fix! Cloud?"

Cloud was wide-eyed at her, shocked and amazed at what he just witnessed as he took in the sight of her agile form—a form he never knew she could even harbor.

Something he had always liked about Tifa before was how strong and independent she was. To say that he had never been attracted to her athletic build and the way she threw her punches and kicks would be a horrible, terrible lie—it was this part of her that got a lot of the male hounds in the sector going after her. Cloud, just like any other male on the Planet, had certain tastes towards women, and Tifa fit his margins perfectly; it was a huge bonus to have his partner as skilled as him in combat.

While Aerith seemed to be the complete opposite from Tifa with the way she dressed to the way she seemed a bit clumsy in the battle field as she held her magic staff with her muscle-less arms, Cloud never minded. She was special in her own way with her positive spirits, headstrong personality, and charming allure, so he would never bring the two women up for comparison since they were just different in different fields. Sure, Aerith probably couldn't share his love for fighting as much as Tifa could, but he never thought about it like that since the Cetra had so much more to offer in the stead of being athletically fit.

However, he had to rethink and reform his image he had of this seemingly unathletic florist as he felt his attraction levels for her break the top and spill over in a hot, overflowing mess.

_Shit._

Cloud felt like he was falling head-over-heels in love with the Cetra for a second time that night.

"Hello, earth to Cloud?" Aerith waved a hand over his dumbstruck face, snapping him out of his admiring daze as he cleared his throat and straightened up. However, just like always, Aerith knew what was running through his head as she grinned wickedly. "What, didn't expect me to pull awesome moves like that? You're underestimating me, sir!"

"Mind giving me a warning before you pull something like that?" Cloud released a sigh of relief as he spoke to her, glad that she was still all in one piece. "You're going to give me a heart attack one day—seriously."

"I love it when you worry about me. Sad that you couldn't be the hero of the day? Here, you can be now!"

Cloud didn't understand what she meant before he let out a sound of surprise when she wrapped her hands around his neck and jumped into his arms. His elbows instantly bent to hold her form as he princess-carried her, the way it was supposed to be if she hadn't pulled out those amazing tricks from underneath her sleeves.

"It really is never a dull moment with you," he chuckled as he nuzzled the side of her face a little bit with his nose before pulling back. "And yes, before you say anything, it is a compliment."

"You should definitely show this side to people more often, you know," Aerith laughed. "Everyone be out here thinking you're a stone-cold rock!"

"… Only reserved for you."

Aerith's heart skipped a beat—no, two—as his endearing words shot right through her chest, and she squealed as she kicked her legs in the air excitedly, making him lose his stable hold on her as he finally let her go. The little prince and princess act needed to end anyway as their friends jogged up to the two, worried looks evident across their faces as they scanned the Cetra up and down.

"Aerith, how did—what the—you just—Aerith!" Jessie went a full circle as she patted the Cetra down from top to bottom, making sure there weren't any broken bones. "What was that! Us folks down here don't use magic often, so don't blame me for being so surprised!"

"It looks like you're okay," Tifa let out the breath she was holding as she ran a hand through her bangs. "That was way too scary."

"She went like this, and like this, and like this!" Wedge exclaimed as he did a poor man's attempt at replicating her elegant movements from up the sky and back down to the ground. "Never seen anything like it!"

"Guess Cloud didn't need to shoot after all," smirked Biggs, patting the holster for emphasis. "He's a good swordsman alright, but I'm not too sure with his aim. Him and darts don't go well together."

"Shooting a gun and playing darts are two different things," complained Cloud, eyes narrowed at Biggs for exposing his terrible hand at darts. Out of the six of them, Cloud always scored last place, but he blamed it on the smaller-than-necessary target and claimed that if they were at a different setting and not at a bar, he would definitely perform better.

Of course, they all humored him to save him some face.

"It's okay, it was a nice breeze through the wind," Aerith assured as she eased everyone's initial concern. "I got all my limbs attached, we got the job done, and I got my daily exercise for the day—or week, phew. I think we're done around here!"

"Leave it to this girl to remain positive despite a near death drop," Cloud muttered as he felt her braid from behind and smoothed out any hair strands that randomly stuck out from it. Then he glanced at Tifa. "So, are we check marking tonight's hunt?"

"We are done! Thanks so much, Cloud and Aerith, for your help," Tifa grinned as she gave them two thumbs up. "We got the rest for the week, and dinner's on me tomorrow! Er, tonight's a bit too late, so."

"Gotcha. Going to head home, Aerith?"

Aerith nodded. "Yup. With it being late in the night now, there's nothing much for me to do here." The flower girl caught Cloud off guard once more when she gave him a side hug before proceeding to give Tifa and Jessie one as well. She smiled at Biggs and Wedge before she nodded again. "The night's calling for me! I'll see you guys again sometime soon when I hit Sector 7 again."

"Feel free to come over any time, flower sale or not," said Tifa. "Always fun to have you around; Jessie and I need more girl power anyway around these parts."

"Right?" Aerith shook her head mockingly as she poked Cloud in the arm. "It's okay, feel free to make him your pack chocobo anytime when you guys go shopping."

"Hear that, Cloud? Your girlfriend's such a gem!" Jessie sighed dramatically as she clasped her hands together. "Don't forget what she just said!"

"I didn't hear anything," Cloud deadpanned before shooting Aerith a warning look. She simply smiled back in response, melting him a little bit inside before he addressed his friends again. "I'll walk Aerith home—see you back at home."

"Alright. See ya!"

Aerith quirked an eyebrow up at him, questioning his motive in walking her home despite their countless of talks about how she could just walk herself back from Sector 7. However, knowing pretty well by now why he insisted in such, she simply laughed as she allowed him to lead the way. Even though they weren't too far from their friends' views just yet, Cloud naturally took her hand in his. Now that their relationship was blatantly obvious after tonight's events, he had no reason to act all skittish about it anymore.

"You have an odd ability to sense what I'm feeling, don't you?" Aerith sighed happily as she tightened her grip on his hand.

"Hm? What do you mean?"

When they turned the corner away from everyone's eyes, Aerith let go of him and settled on hugging his arm and snuggling into his side like she always did. "I was feeling a bit lonely at the idea of departing from you after such a traumatic fall through the sky."

"You don't look traumatized to me."

"Would it kill you to just let me have my way for once?"

This statement was not accurate, however, because Aerith knew how much Cloud caved in for her, whether he wanted to admit it or not. He really was sweet, and it made her elated to know that this sort of treatment was, indeed, just reserved for her. From listening her go on and on with her rants about the day to making sure she was comfortable whenever and wherever she was, this side of Cloud was more than she ever would've expected at the start of their relationship. She figured that it would've been a bit difficult to bring out his soft side—though she never doubted she would fail—but he surprised her by being so open and vulnerable to her.

Truly, she was blessed.

"Hope my friends don't make you uncomfortable," sighed Cloud as he snapped her out of her appreciative thoughts about him. "They're a bit too excited for their own good. It's as if they can't imagine someone like me together with someone like your or something."

"Hey, even I'm surprised," Aerith teased. "After all, it took you _so_ long to even realize my feelings. Even at the nights sometimes, before I go to sleep, I think about how you blocked me and my kisse—!"

"What did I say about forgetting about all of that?" Cloud interrupted her, always feeling attacked every time she brought up his lack of an initiative in the beginning. "Now you're just taking it out to blackmail me."

The two stepped foot onto the train, easily finding a seat in the nearly-empty benches as they sat close to each other. Aerith leaned her head on his shoulder, and he reciprocated by placing his head gently atop hers.

"What can I say, you've gone a long way," snickered Aerith. She played with his fingers as she hummed underneath her breath. "Though, I'm really glad that your friends seem to accept me and all."

This perked his interest. "What, did you think they wouldn't?"

"… Kinda."

Cloud took his head off of hers so that he could peer into her eyes. The smile from her face never disappeared, but a hint of insecurity lined it as she tilted her head at him at his sudden interrogative gaze.

"Why wouldn't they? I thought we went over this a long time ago," he said softly, not wanting her to feel any sort of doubt about this subject. "It was rocky a little bit at first, but it was because they didn't really know you well. Now they do, and even though I don't really read people that well," this earned him a quiet laugh from the Cetra, "I'm certain that they really like you, hm?"

"And I like them too," Aerith murmured. "Sorry, just a bit scared, is all."

Understanding where she was coming from with her past experiences with human society and fear of exclusion, Cloud shook his head and offered her a tiny smile of assurance. "Don't be. You're good."

"… You make me really happy, Cloud," Aerith half-whispered so that her voice didn't peak high enough for anyone else on the train to hear. "1… like you a lot."

Cloud's breath caught in his throat as his heart thumped a bit harsher against his chest. Such an outright confession was rare between them—they didn't need constant affirmation of the fact—so he firmly grasped her hand as he nodded, voice lost for a second before he found it again.

"Me too." Then he realized that he shouldn't keep it clipped like that. "I like you too."

He never failed to make Aerith fangirl whenever he showed his softness, so his smile got a bit bigger as Aerith let out another silent squeal and swung her legs excitedly underneath the bench—something he always found really adorable about her.

The rest of the train ride to Sector 5 passed as the rumbles of the engine and the clicks of the wheels against the tracks sounded in their ears, the repetition of it all lulling them deeper and deeper into sleep's grasp. By the time they stepped off the platform, Cloud's eyes definitely felt heavier, but that didn't stop him from seeing Aerith off in front of her front door.

"So," Aerith spoke up again as they walked slowly through Sector 5 towards her house. "Do you ever miss your days in SOLDIER?"

Cloud raised both his eyebrows in surprise; he didn't expect her to suddenly ask that sort of question out of the blue. Wondering why, he said, "Why do you ask?"

"I don't know if you know this," she began, "but you're almost like a different person when you're out swinging the Buster Sword like that." To make her point, she adorned a cute frown across her forehead as she hacked and slashed with an imaginary sword in the air. "It's like you enter a completely different mindset—a different world."

"… Is it disturbing?"

His insecurity leaked out a little bit since he had to deal with this kind of issue with Tifa before, but his worries instantly evaporated when Aerith shook her head.

"Of course not! It's just different—cooler even. I like watching you battle; it certainty gives an almost fresh feel to it. Your eyes get all sharp and your movement gets all fluid and—yeah, I don't know how to explain it in words, but you're cool, Cloud!"

He chuckled as she threw weak punches across his arm. "So it makes me wonder if you miss that type of life, just hunting down Shinra and using your sword every day. Of course, if you had to pick between civilian life and the life of a SOLDIER again, I would urge you to pick the former since I obviously don't want you to go through such horrible things again, but it wouldn't surprise me if you chose the latter."

"Please, as much as I like fighting, I think I like the life I have now in Sector 7," he replied instantly, no second thoughts lingering in his head at all. "My time with the Buster Sword during the rebellion is over; I don't think I would even want to revisit it for a day just for old time's sake." He shuddered when he thought about those bastardly clones again. "I don't think nostalgia hits as much as you think it does for me. I'm glad to look back, but to never go back."

"Sounds like you've put a lot of thought into this to give me this type of answer," Aerith said knowingly. Cloud merely nodded, not sure what to say to that.

"… Yeah."

"You know, when I first met you," Aerith held onto his arm again, and he was glad for her warmth, "You really reminded me of someone I used to know, with the whole SOLDIER uniform and mako eyes and all. Sword especially."

Cloud was slow, but he wasn't slow about this as he quickly figured out who she was talking about. "Your… past lover that died during the rebellion?" They hadn't talked about him at all since their night out at Wall Market. He would be lying to say he wasn't curious about what kind of person she was with in the past, but she seemed quite reclusive about it, so he never dug into it. She didn't seem to be too affected by the history of it either, so he never thought much about what kind of past relationships she harbored.

"Yup! Aw, you remembered?"

"I mean, it's hard to forget how crazy you were that night."

"Shut it, you," Aerith mockingly narrowed her eyes at him before she cracked into a smile. "But yup, that's him." She sighed as she thought about him whose face she barely remembered anymore. "He was similar to you—at least, that's what I thought at first. Cool and collected, mind always staring straight at the battlefield and nothing else. And gosh, his honor as SOLDIER—hugely inflated."

"Sounds like we could've been best friends," joked Cloud, earning another punch to his shoulder as Aerith pouted. "But that's what you thought? Something different now?"

"Of course, it's different," she softly laughed. "At first, I thought you were also the same. Your hard front, your cold exterior. Although he was definitely a lot warmer than you in the front, I thought the core was the same. Battle-driven, hard and tactical thinking—just your usual SOLDIER attitude. You definitely gave me the impression of a typical SOLDIER when we first met."

"I mean, I don't sense anything wrong in that because you're not saying anything inaccurate about me." Cloud stated. Nothing she said tipped him off the scale; in fact, it seemed pretty on point. His SOLDIER days shaped him to become who he was now, a mere shell of what he used to be before the fires took over his village. Some might even remember him as naïve and foolish—Tifa could probably stand to justify this—but now, people would probably remember him as such of a "typical SOLDIER," one that Aerith described with pinpoint accuracy, so to hear her say otherwise struck him as odd.

"You're wrong," she denied, shaking her head as she disagreed with him. Cloud blinked as she let go of him and blocked his path. She took his two hands and held them between their bodies, swinging them lightly as she smiled brightly at him. They continued to walk, albeit slower this time as he walked forward and she walked backwards. "Cloud, what did I tell you? You're so much more than you think."

"An explanation would be nice," he mused as he gripped her hands, eyes making sure to watch her feet for any potential hazards behind her. "Not going to lie—a bit curious with what you can come up with to persuade me otherwise."

"I know the situation between now and then were different," she began. "My… past lover—I'm sure he loved me a lot—but… he never really made the time for me." Aerith let out a breath as she delved into the past, something that was a recurrent theme between her and Cloud. "While I was important to him, it always seemed like I was second in his life. Oh, and I definitely understand why; things were quite messy back then with the whole rebellion. But… I would've hoped that I could sense it."

"… Sense what?"

"That I was truly someone more important to him than a war. I know, I sound completely selfish right now, but as a growing girl back then—and a lonely one at that," Cloud tightened his hold on her when she said this, to let her know that he felt for her, "It was difficult. Having that sort of relationship." She then let out a dark laugh, one that Cloud didn't expect. "He didn't reply to any of my letters either—not even one. Yet he had the time to come visit me and stuff in secret during down times. I just felt that… he never took the extra step in our relationship, nor did he ever think about me ever during his trips across Midgar. But you, Cloud…"

When they reached the bridge that paved the way to her home, Aerith stopped in her tracks and looked up at Cloud right in the eyes.

"Yes?" he let out, a bit breathless as he listened to her heartfelt words.

"You make me feel so special," Aerith confessed, letting go of one of his hands just to cup his cheek. "You don't make me feel insecure, not at all, and… you make me feel like I really am someone important to you. I thought you would be cheeky with this whole relationship, or closed off since you _are_ a buffoon sometimes," she earned a snort of disbelief from him as he rolled his eyes, "But you're just—I don't know—you're just so much more than I expected. And… it really makes me feel like the happiest girl on the Planet."

"Exaggerations can only get you so far," he let out lowly as he held onto her hand so that he could move it to his mouth. She giggled as he peppered kisses into the center of her palm. "I can go with a little bit of the truth, you know. After all, I'm a hard man."

"Stop bluffing, I know there's just jelly sitting in there somewhere," Aerith tittered as she scrunched up her face at him teasingly. "I'll just wait until the hard shell comes off. Until then, I claim victory for now."

"Um, that's not how it works, but I guess I'll humor you here a little bit. And… Aerith."

"Yes?"

"You make me happy too," he openly admitted, successfully causing her heart to lodge right into her throat. "I don't know if I could be where I am right now without you, so… yeah." Then he looked away, not knowing why he was suddenly having a hard time with words _now_ , especially after Aerith just spilled her heart out to him. He also wanted to make a comment about her past lover, to perhaps even say his opinion about her thoughts about him, but he couldn't as he settled with only these little words. However, Aerith understood everything as she let her arms drop down to his middle to enwrap him in a hug, one that he instantly responded to as he brought his strong arms around her.

"Don't force yourself because I already know, silly," Aerith said into his shirt as she breathed in his calming scent. "I know, so just take your time."

"… mhm."

When they eventually reached her front door, the two of them had a hard time separating from each other as Cloud let her go so that she could unlock her door and go inside. She creaked it open, making sure it didn't make too loud of noise in fear of waking up Elmyra. Before she stepped over the line of her door, she turned around to face him one more time for the night.

"Guess I'll see you tomorrow?"

Cloud slowly nodded. "Yeah."

The two looked at each other for two seconds before Aerith slowly reached out for his face, holding it between her dainty hands before she brought it down for a soft and fleeting kiss. Just like always, the heat immediately pooled in his veins as his strong hands reached up to grasp her shoulders, bringing her closer to him as he kissed her back, slow and languid as he indulged in her addicting touch.

When the two of them separated, both of their minds prepared to say another goodbye, but their eyes conveyed something different to each other as their breaths intermingled. Their eyes never left each other's mouths as their breathing became heavier and more labored underneath each other's intense gazes.

Usually, Cloud would take this time to say something along the lines of "you should go" to avoid any unwanted and unintentional unraveling of desires so that he could somehow keep up his image of a good-mannered man in front of Aerith. However, after that little talk about their feelings for each other, his strings nearly snapped as his grip on her shoulders became tighter. It was if this hold was the only thing keeping him chained to reality and reason as he urged himself to look away from her beautiful face.

"What are you thinking so much about?" Aerith asked as she swiped a thumb over his lips, immediately sending tiny electric shocks down his spine. He wanted to grab her hand to stop her, but he just liked it too much.

"How much I want to kiss you," he blurted out. It was uncharacteristic of him to show his desires for her so obviously, but he didn't have enough of a brain capacity to give a shit at the moment.

"Then do it," she whispered.

"But—"

"Elmyra's asleep," and that was enough of a signal for him to step into her house, close her door, and pin her against it as he smothered his mouth over hers, the shortness and sweetness of their previous kiss long gone and buried.

He wasn't feeling sleepy anymore.

Aerith's hands swiftly flew into his hair as his hands slid down her body to sit at her waist in the darkness of her home, lights completely out as they depended on each other's touch to have a sense of their surroundings.

Their kisses were usually not intense, although it did get a bit risqué sometimes in the monster trails, but the environment around them always shocked them back to remind them of where they were and how they shouldn't be doing that kind of stuff when monsters threatened to pop out at any second to claw at them.

However, as Cloud pressed his hard form against hers underneath the roof of her house, many restraints that kept them from doing certain things loosened and even broke.

Aerith had to keep her sighs of delight and contentment to a minimum when Cloud angled his mouth for better access against hers, and she nearly slid against the door and fell onto the ground when his mouth opened up to hers as his tongue flicked against her bottom lip, something that didn't usually happen in the monster trails.

"Wait," she gasped in the darkness as she pulled away, tripping a bit at the fast pace the blond suddenly imposed on her.

"Sorry," he quickly apologized, eyes searching for hers as he made the motion to put some distant between their faces. He stopped though when Aerith pulled him back to her mouth by the collar of his shirt.

"No, don't apologize, I just needed to catch some air," she said, at lost for breath as she grinned excitedly at him. "Did I ever tell you how much of an amazing kisser you are?"

"… All for you," he bravely declared as he pushed his lips on hers again, not wanting to miss a single second of contact with her if she was okay with the whole thing.

He didn't know how long they stood there for, making out against her front door as his hands started to become more adventurous with their path. He could feel her squirms of enjoyment whenever he accidentally rubbed the sides of her chest during his smooth motions up and down her sides in an attempt to keep them there for the entire time. However, when he realized how much she liked the friction of his hands against her dress at certain areas of her body with the way she mewed softly against his mouth, he didn't fear anymore as he pressed against places that no man had ever laid their hands on for almost an entire decade.

"Cloud," she said, and she hadn't meant to sound so desperate and raw as his hands squeezed her over her fabrics. Thinking that she was stopping him again, he instantly let go as he broke their kiss and gazed at her both in question and amazement at how wonderful he was feeling at the moment.

"Enough for you?" he asked, voice drenched with his want for her as he swallowed down the lump lodged in his throat along with any unnecessary thoughts.

She shook her head. "My room, please?"

She didn't need to say anymore as he grabbed onto her hand and quietly led her up the stairs, careful to make sure his feet didn't thud against the wood and awaken Elmyra.

Once they were in the recesses of her room, they resumed their intense liplocking as hands felt for each other blindly. Feeling that the bed was too early, Cloud instead hoisted her up on her desk as she giggled into his mouth.

"Someone's real eager," she quietly laughed into the hot air as his lips detached from her mouth and began to travel down her jaw and latch onto the side of her neck. She happily obliged as she tilted her head to the side so that he could have better access to her porcelain skin.

"Sorry that I'm a relatively young male." He still managed to creep some sarcasm into his words despite their current situation. "You can stop me whenever you want though."

"It's fine, I like it when you're like thi—oh, that feels good," she let out another drawn out sigh as he worshipped the skin at the junction between her neck and her shoulder with his tongue and teeth. "Sorry, I was a bit sweaty from the monster hunt, maybe I should take a show—"

"It's fine," he breathed into her neck, sending delightful tingles all throughout her body. "You're beautiful enough."

The two of them ceased their playful banter as they focused their complete attention in drowning in each other. Cloud wasn't sure if she meant anything by bringing him into her room, but he was more than happy to go along with what she had in store for him within the next few minutes.

He stood in between her legs as his hands kept himself stable by gripping onto the edge of her desk by her sides. His mouth returned to hers as the heat of the moment cooled down a bit, and while his hands were calmer than before, hers started to take their turn as she felt every single muscle underneath his shirt, relishing in their hardness as she felt his muscles flex involuntarily every time her fingers graced over them.

This sort of privacy was new to them, even though it bit at their conscious a little bit at how they were so secretive with Elmyra innocently sounding asleep upstairs, but they decided to think about that later.

When Aerith's bottom threatened to fall off the table, Cloud grabbed onto her waist and pushed her deeper into it as he leaned over more so that he could reach her. Before they could return to kissing each other, their moment was broken when his hands landed back onto the table and accidentally swiped at the things at her desk, causing them to fall over the edge and clatter onto the ground noisily.

Something even shattered.

"Oh, shit," Cloud cursed as Aerith grasped onto his shoulders and laughed.

"Yeah, someone's definitely too eager," Aerith cooed, mind too occupied with how good Cloud was making her feel just a minute ago to realize what had just dropped onto the ground.

"Sorry, let me clean it up," he apologized sheepishly as he separated his body from hers and bent down to pick up all the scattered pens and penholders.

When he turned his attention towards the fragile, shattered, glass picture frame, he inwardly winced—there was no restoring this one. He made a note to make it up to her and find her a new one if he ever had the chance to; it seemed like an important item of hers to just keep at her desk like that all the time. Although, he wasn't sure where he could possibly find another frame made completely out of glass like this one.

When his eyes moved in the darkness lit by the bright moonlight, his attention then focused on something else underneath all the broken glass.

There was actually something kept inside the frame.

He picked up the blank white photo that had slipped out from the broken frame, and at that exact moment in time, Aerith finally gathered all her senses as her stomach immediately dropped, and the sense of dread and anxiety filled up her everything as she realized what he was picking up.

"Wait, Cloud," she jumped off the table as her feet landed harshly against the floor. Waking up Elmyra was the very last thing on her mind at the moment as she tried to bend over Cloud's hunched form over the ground. "Cloud."

"What is this?" He stood up right when she was about to pluck the flimsy white lamination out of his hands, completely unaware at how flustered and nervous she was.

Aerith shook her head furiously. "It's nothing, Cloud, just give it to m—"

Then, he flipped it to the other side.

And at that moment, he finally knew what it felt like to have his whole entire world fall apart and crash down at his feet.

Aerith swiftly took the photo away from his still grasp, but it was too late—he already saw it underneath the moonlight that streamed through her window.

"Cloud," Aerith half-whispered, voice utterly broken already as she gripped the photo in her hand. She nearly damaged it with the way she held onto it so tightly between her thumb and fingers as she stared at Cloud's frozen form. His eyes never moved away from his hand as if the photo was still in his hold as he remained unmoved and still. "Clou—"

She didn't get to say anymore as Cloud reached out and ripped the photo out of her hand so that he could examine it in more detail. This time, she didn't resist as her heart quickened from worry and fear.

He was a fool.

The crystal picture frame had never been empty.

Instead, the picture had always been flipped, hiding its contents away from its viewers until its owner ever decided to let it see the light once more.

It was a picture.

A picture of her and Zack from nine years ago.

…

_Being truthful really was the way to go._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys don't hit me *hides underneath the table*
> 
> HAHA jk jk, but after almost two weeks, here's an update! Sorry that it took so long (idk if that counts as long or not cause omg i've been waiting forever for other fanfics and it's killing me), I'm just so booked with exams and life and everything! After this update, I probably won't post another one until another two weeks (when my finals are over) so pls be patient!
> 
> Yeah, I'm sorry that you guys are going to die with this cliffhanger (?) Uh, definitely had fun because I love writing this type of shit than fluff (my sword for writing fluff just isn't sharpened guys xDDD) so I hope you guys enjoyed this despite how I stabbed some of yall with this ending
> 
> Uh, since it's like in the middle of the dead night (like it always is whenever I update LOLOL), i shall end this A/N here. Um, feel free to let me know how this chapter hits you, and feel free to rage xDDDD (friendly rage though omg)
> 
> Let the battles begin :^))))
> 
> (also, on a side and personal note here since i feel really strongly about this, my heart goes out to my fellow black comrades out there, watching the news is painful for me forreal. pls stay safe everyone since 2020 is not starting off well for any of us in the world. this chapter is dedicated for all of you because i'm just stuck at home unable to do anything :( much love for you guys)


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tada! Long awaited chapter for many of you :) Thank you for all the awesome reviews about how much you guys died at the cliffhanger xD Good to know (not good to relate) how much the chapter killed you, so here is the next one! As I said on twitter (and on my new AU clerith multi-chaptered fic, check it out if y'all interested), after this chapter, there will be only two more chapters (probably lengthy ones). Honestly, I should save it until the really end but I'll just briefly mention AGAIN (can't say it enough) about all the support this fic has garnered me. Never expected it to explode like this, so thank you for taking the time to leave a review. This fic wouldn't have been written like this without all of your guys' support and reviews and continued commitment. Love you guys a lot, but enough about the appreciation! Let's get reading!
> 
> Enjoy~!
> 
> P.S. Huge thanks to my new beta reader (one that actually catches mistakes cough cough jk i love my best friend). He made this all polished up and nice for all of you guys to read!

" _Your sword is, dare I say it, a bit overkill. You remind me of another person I once knew. No one would ever approach the likes of you guys."_

_…_

_"I just thought… your eyes…" she smiled, "I haven't seen their color in a really long time."_

_…_

_The fire, the blood, the memories that weren't his—everything started to spiral out of control as he struggled to regain himself. These headaches were happening more frequently—why?_

…

" _You don't look like him at all…" she trailed, now breaching a topic that Cloud was not familiar with. "But you remind me so much of him anyway."_

…

_"Mhm. He died nine years ago in combat against Shinra. During the time of the Nibelheim Incident."_

…

_Her hand swept across the flat of the blade smoothly as she smiled a small smile at it. The fond look she had in her eyes was inexplainable as Cloud observed her every movement. It was as if she was caressing a delicate piece of silk as her fingers ran down the sleek metal._

…

_However, despite how happy she seemed, Cloud had his sixth sense tingling. It was already surprising that he even had the emotional capacity to detect when something felt odd to him, but because he was so aware of Aerith and her presence, he grew to have a built-in radar just for her. Perhaps it was her talk with Kunsel about the notebook._

…

" _ **Oh, and do you mind… saying hi to her for me? And that… I got her eighty-ninth letter. That'd be great."**_

…

Cloud didn't know when it started, the hyperventilating. His vision started to blur a bit as he etched the image into his brain, forever carving into his memory, never to go away. The image of Aerith in Zack's arms, the green fields that reached out into the horizons of the picture, the heart drawn at the corner in black marker, the smiles on both of their youthful faces.

It was haunting.

Then, the picture slipped through his shaky fingers, sliding underneath Aerith's bedframe, but no-one moved to reach down and get it. His eyes darted wildly—at her desk, at her shoes, at the legs of her chair, but not at her.

And then it started.

"Ugh!"

Cloud desperately grabbed at his hair as the sickly green drenched his vision, no longer just a light wash as everything turned emerald and dark, warping before his eyes. Feet stumbling, he struggled to find balance against the spinning world underneath him while his breaths became laborious, quick, and despairing—almost as if his lungs couldn't expand anymore as an oppressive weight crushed his chest.

And the pain—the horrible, horrible pain that never failed to accompany his headaches—drilled deep into his skull, puncturing itself far into his brain like a never-ending syringe, never to pull out. His groans and near-screams were all he could do to not faint from the intense pain he felt not only in his head, but his entire body as his feet shifted all around on the floor, doing their best to keep him standing.

"C-Cloud, oh my gosh, no, you're okay," Aerith assured as she reached her hands out to grab onto his arm, but he pulled away from her as his eyes finally looked up to meet hers.

The hurt that shone so brightly in his eyes instantly broke her heart.

"Aerith, you—you're— _why_?"

The words barely formed in his mind as he took in her green figure and focused all of his attention on breathing because it was just getting quicker and quicker.

"Cloud, please calm down, I can explain," she urged as she tried again to hold onto him. Using her powers, she tried to reach into his core to manipulate the mako and make him feel better, but she gasped loudly when she felt herself completely shut out by him.

He wasn't letting her in.

"You lied to me," he managed to choke, voice raspy as he leaned against the wall for support. With his other hand, he pushed away the arm that tried to touch him. "You're Zack's lover—I should've _fucking_ known."

"No, Cloud, that's not it," Aerith pleaded, begging as she called out his name in hopes of reaching him. Her hands trembled as they remained in the air, too scared to even try to touch him anymore as her lips quivered violently. "I couldn't find the right time to tell you, but believe me when I never meant to keep it a secret like this, ple—"

"I gave you my whole being, my _everything_ ," Cloud confessed, voice completely broken, and when the angry tears came freefalling down his cheeks involuntarily, Aerith's broken heart completely shattered. "I gave myself to you, I opened up to you, I'm _stupid_ for you, Aerith, and I'm willing to tell you everything, yet you couldn't even tell me something so important? You must've thought of me as a _fool_ when I talked about Zack! When we went to topside together—you knew all along, didn't you?"

The Cetra shook her head, slowly becoming furious as her own tears slid down her cheeks, but no-one cared about the hot liquid that stained their faces as their eyes clashed against each other in a raging war of emotions.

"I knew, yes, but you're wrong—I _never_ thought of you as a fool. I had my reasons for not telling you and—"

"How does it feel to look at the man who killed your lover?" Cloud blurted out, not thinking as he let his stream of thoughts pour out like a waterfall. "You mistook me for him before, didn't you? No, you _knew_ I had something to do with him the moment you met me."

Cloud didn't know how he was unable to pick up all the signs he should've noticed whenever Aerith acted a bit weird. From their night at Wall Market to the way she caressed the Buster Sword so mysteriously—he should've questioned her.

But he didn't, and that was where he had made his mistake.

"Was that why you got so attached to me? How long did you intend on keeping this from me?"

Aerith couldn't handle it anymore as she pulled the chair from her desk and leaned her arms on it, but her eyes never removed themselves from him as she watched him dart his own everywhere again except at her. Her insides twisted and coiled painfully, unable to fathom how she was going to get through to him when both his sense of betrayal and the mako poisoning were attacking him full force.

"I'm so sorry, Cloud," she managed to whisper, but it almost came out as nothing. "And please, don't say that. You didn't kill him—nothing is your fault. And I never mistook you for anybody nor got attached to you because of such a dumb reason like that because I lov—"

"Ugh!" Cloud removed the hand from the wall and held onto the other side of his head, unable to continue talking to her anymore as his grip on his consciousness started to fade. However, he wasn't going to stay here.

He needed to get out—now.

"I—I can't look at you right now," Cloud stuttered, back turned as he took a step towards the door. He couldn't be here with her with this unimaginable shock as the green never faded from his vision.

Zack's lover, the one he had been searching for all these years, was right in front of his eyes in the most ironic way—was this fate's idea of messing with him?

"I'm sorry," was the last thing he said to her before he staggered his way to the exit.

It would've been fine and smooth if Elmyra wasn't just standing on the other side of the door, ready to open it to see what was all the noise that had woken her up.

"Cloud? Aerith? What is going o—"

Cloud didn't even mutter a goodbye as he rushed past Elmyra's side and out of Aerith's home, leaving the Cetra to just slump onto the ground, eyes blank as she stared at the space he was just in. Elmyra quickly rushed over to her side, kneeling on the floor as she helped the girl up.

"I'm fine," Aerith mumbled, not wanting to see her mother at this exact time. She had known that with all the noise they were causing, Elmyra would wake up, but she had prayed that she wouldn't come down to check for herself—things just weren't going according to plan at all tonight.

"What were you guys doing here? Why was there so much screamin—" Elmyra eyed the light bruise on Aerith's neck, instantly shutting up as she put the pieces together. She then looked at the broken crystal frame on the ground, a frame that she had always known contained a picture of her daughter and her lover from nearly a decade ago. "Aerith, don't tell me—"

"Mom, I'm not in the mood right now to explain anything. I-I'm sorry for waking you up," Aerith said hastily, trying to preemptively staunch her mother's flood of questions. She stood up and pushed her chair back to her desk; her hands were still shaky from the argument. Reaching for her phone, she dialed a number, knowing that Cloud couldn't be out by himself right now.

And as the ringtone sounded, Aerith knew she had messed up, tears threatening to stain her cheeks for the rest of the night.

Outside, Cloud could barely see the ground in front of him as he swayed left and right, nearly losing his footing every time he took a step forward. The weight of the Buster Sword wasn't making it any easier, but at this point, he could've tossed it to the side and just forgotten all about it. Knowing now how it was probably the same sword that Aerith had touched many years ago when it was held by another person, especially one who had sacrificed his life for him, didn't sit well with him. So, it took everything he could not to just wield it and destroy something with it in a mako-induced rampage.

He didn't know when and he didn't know how, but he managed to slump against a closed shop in the middle of the sector, unable to march forward anymore. No one traversed the dirt roads during this time, save for some of the homeless that stayed tucked in their sleeping bags. Someone could've attacked him, and he wouldn't have even picked a fight—not that he could anyway as his hands ran furiously through his hair. Never had an episode lasted as long as this one, so he nearly lost his mind with the way everything was still green. Green dirt, green houses, green sky—just _green._

Just like her emerald eyes.

His heart ached as his mind took the time to conjure up a painful image of her bright smile as if to torment him, a smile he missed already even though he was the one who had excused himself from her presence just a moment ago. No matter how much he wanted to go back and possibly seek her comfort to get rid of the poisoning, he couldn't face her at the moment since the shock was too much to handle. Zack, Aerith, Zack's lover, Aerith's lover, Zack and Aerith—these were the only thoughts flying through his mind in taunting circles, and it made him absolutely sick.

When he was sure that he was going to spend the night here since he could barely move his body anymore, a familiar voice shouted his name from across the sector, not caring whether or not she disturbed any of the residents. When he heard the sound of her voice, a small tinge of relief touched him as he kneeled a knee on the ground in attempt to hoist himself up.

"Tifa," he weakly called out.

"Spikey, where are you? Cloud!" came Barret's familiar, roaring voice.

Following their voices, Cloud emerged from the side of the store, mako eyes searching for their green figures. When they spotted him, they quickly rushed over to him.

"Cloud, oh gosh, are you alright?" Tifa held onto his elbows, but her hands quickly flew over to his shoulders when he slumped against her, energy gone. Barret quickly made it easier on her by detaching the Buster Sword from his back.

"Tifa, Barret, why are you here?" he asked, wincing as another twinge drove into his head. However, he could feel the effects of the poisoning fading as his conscious sought comfort from his two dear friends.

"That's not important. Here, let's get you back home," Tifa avoided answering the question as she pulled his body away from hers and towards Barret's back. "You might not like the idea of Barret carrying you, but I think you'd like that better than if it was me."

"You're not wrong," Cloud chuckled, but he coughed instead as he got onto Barret's back. "I'll probably be better in a few minutes, so I'll be off your back soon, Barret."

"Whatever, I could crush your ass in a second if I wanted to, so this is nothing for me," he gruffly replied as he handed Tifa the Buster Sword. She staggered a bit with the weight, earning Cloud's concerned look, but it didn't take long for her to heave it up to her chest and carry it with her two arms.

Together, the three went onto the train to go back to Sector 7. Midway back to their respective homes after they got off, Cloud was able to find his footing again, but his mind was blank as he followed Barret and Tifa back to the civilian area. Only fatigue and sleepiness were left in his body as his eyes remained downcast. Color came back, and all traces of the green were gone, but he couldn't shake off the emptiness that pooled at his core, making him nearly deaf to his surroundings.

He was glad when neither Tifa nor Barret asked any questions before they excused themselves for the night; he was beyond tired, and without Aerith's healing spell, he learned again what kind of exhaustion came with the headaches. Barret climbed down the stairs, but not without giving Cloud a reassuring pat on the back while Tifa rubbed his shoulder comfortingly. She went to her door, but before she could go in, Cloud called out to her.

"… Did Aerith call you?"

Tifa simply gave him a tiny smile before she shrugged knowingly.

"You tell me." And she closed the door behind her.

Cloud simply sighed at his doorknob before he entered his own rood, closing himself off from the world behind him and allowing the darkness of his room to swallow him whole.

~.~.~

The next day, Tifa was gullible enough to think that Cloud would emerge from his room once the afternoon hit. However, there were no signs of life from the man when the gang returned from patrol, and it worried her along with the rest of the gang.

"Do you think we should check on him?" Barret asked, hand rubbing the back of his neck as he awkwardly voiced his concern for the blond. Him along with Tifa were the only two who saw the broken man, so they were the most off-put by Cloud's absence. "I wouldn't mind busting through his door if I had to."

"I wouldn't be surprised if he slashed at you with his sword if you did that," Jessie muttered as she kicked a rock to the side. "What happened last night? It would all make us worry less if we had a hint about what's going on."

"I don't know," Tifa confessed. "I just know that… something happened between him and Aerith."

"A lover's fight? That's it?" Biggs questioned, a brow instantly raised against his forehead.

Tifa shook her head, a grimace clear on her face. It was enough to show Biggs that the issue at hand was much more than a typical couple's fight. "It's something definitely more serious. His mako poisoning got so bad, Barret had to carry him back halfway through. Only something really traumatic would reduce him to that state." She sighed. "I would know. I've seen it way too many times to count, but this has got to be the worst."

"Any luck asking for Aerith's side of things?" Biggs suggested. Tifa simply shook her head.

"She refuses to say anything. I called her this morning for some clarification on what happened since she didn't explain anything when she called me last night to pick up Cloud, but she didn't want to share. Instead, she just said to ask Cloud because apparently only he can give the answers."

"So, we're going to play hot potato with this?" Jessie clicked her tongue. "They were so happy together yesterday—so happy that it was borderline disgusting." Tifa looked at her disapprovingly at this. "But that just means something really big must've happened after patrol for Cloud to just trap himself in his room like this. I haven't seen him do this since…" Jessie sighed, "five years ago."

"You might be on to something," Tifa remarked. "But no point in just speculating."

"What, so you're going to go and ask him?"

Tifa tightened the straps on her gloves, revving herself up for the eventual confrontation she would have with the spiky-haired merc—he needed to eat eventually. "That's what I plan on doing." She then glared at everyone. "And it's not just going to be me."

"Whoa, whoa, I'm not interested in getting involved with a lover's quarrel, even though we just established that that's not it," Jessie waved her hands, instantly rejecting the idea of such a thing. "Plus, I feel like… it should just be a few people. Cloud's already a hard guy to get through—it was just last month or something that we even learned more about him and his past. I don't think he'd appreciate a party busting through his door."

"Just say that you're worried, but you don't know what to do," Biggs smirked. Jessie punched him at the arm before she blew at her hair.

"Fine, you got me—I don't know how I would even begin to talk to him. You can say that me and him aren't that close to talk like that, so I think _you_ should just go, Tifa." She jerked a thumb at Barret. "And this big man over here. I'm sure they had enough time bonding together during Cloud's rough mercenary days."

"Does it look like Spikey and I can hold a heart-to-heart between us?" the burly man growled. "You can kiss my ass if you think we've ever had a touching moment—at least directly."

"We get it—you guys can just feel for each other. No need for words, right?" Jessie scoffed sarcastically. "You can bluff all you want, but I'm sure no one is as attached to Cloud as you are in this group, so just shut up already."

"Why are we suddenly fighting about who's closer to the guy?" interjected Biggs, half-amused with how the conversation suddenly took a left turn. "If I was Cloud, I don't think I'd be too happy knowing how this type of talk took place. And goddamn it, where's Wedge?"

"Wedge and Cloud are _definitely_ not on talking terms. I think his energy is way too much for Mr. Broody," Jessie snickered.

"So, are you all saying that _I'm_ the one who should go talk to him?" Tifa frowned, not too keen on playing hot potato with this issue.

"I mean, you're the one closest to him," Jessie retorted. "If we walk in, he'd probably shut the door on us, and if you walk in, he'd _still_ shut the door on you, but at least he'd consider it."

When everyone nodded in agreement to Jessie's statement, Tifa hung her mouth open in disbelief.

"Seriously?"

"What can we say?" Biggs shrugged. "We're just not close to the guy—at least, not like you. I agree with what Jessie said a minute ago; I don't think he'd be too welcoming if we all crashed his place. I'm sure you can handle it better."

When Tifa looked over at Barret for some support, Barret simply gave her a sheepish look.

"You know how me and Cloud roll down the hill: we don't."

It would be an extreme understatement to say that Tifa was _just_ disappointed. No, she was beyond disappointed (appalled?) as she tried to get some eye contact in with everyone, but everyone just darted their eyes around skittishly as they discussed the awkward idea of talking to Cloud Strife. While they weren't too fond about dumping all the responsibility on Tifa, the discomfort in confronting the blond was blaringly obvious.

"Are you guys being serious right now? What happened to all that talk from before?" Tifa said, exasperated with her hands on hips as she glared at all of them. She specifically honed in on Barret and Jessie. "Especially you two, the night after we all came back from Aerith's place. What was that all about?"

Jessie and Barret blinked as they took a moment to realize what Tifa was referring to. It wasn't long before guilt plagued their faces.

_"You asshole, if you don't sit your ass cheeks back down in this chair and tell us what's going through that crack head of yours, I swear, to bloody murder, that this gun will be the last thing you see on this Planet," Barret growled. "It's been five years too fucking long for this shit."_

_"I've had enough of being in the dark about these types of things," Jessie said as she balled her hands up and looked towards the ground. "I've known you for five years yet I know nothing about you, just like how I didn't know anything about Aerith today. So don't just go walking off like a cool guy shouldering everything on his own when you're clearly not one."_

"That was…" Barret trailed, but Tifa wasn't done showing her frustration.

"We _all_ sat there with him three days before we went to topside, when he finally told us a little bit about himself after all these years. Did you think that was easy for him to do? No, of course not, this is Cloud Strife we're talking about here!" Tifa ran a hand through her bangs as she felt herself heat up "He had put in the effort to open up to you guys after being berated by us to depend on us more when he needed it, and now, when he really needs that type of support, you guys suddenly decide to back off? Are we his friends or not?"

When no one said anything, Tifa threw a hand up to signify that she didn't need to hear anything from them. "If you really want just me to go, then fine, but—"

"Wait, no, Tifa," Jessie grabbed onto her wrist just to make sure she didn't stalk off somewhere. The raven-haired, who was usually calm and collected, showed a different side to her, and no one needed to ask questions as to why—they had been a bunch of hypocrites. "You're right, I'm sorry."

"We're sorry too; you know how to hit it where it hurts," Biggs said as he rubbed his chin with a hand.

"It's just, well, at least _I_ am not used to the idea of actually getting him to spill," confessed Jessie as she let Tifa go. "Right, like you said before, this is Cloud Strife we're talking about; the idea of him needing support from people like us is a bit foreign, so that was why I was a bit uncomfortable at the thought of visiting, but you snapped me out of it, Tifa," Jessie nodded, determined. "I'll go with you. If he can feel better talking to someone like me, then I'm all for it."

"After listening to all this, I can't just walk out now or else I'd be a complete asshole," Barret admitted. "I'm also worried for the boy, even if it seems like I'm not sometimes."

"And I'm sure even Cloud would appreciate Wedge's presence. He's just a happy virus—a contagious one at that," Biggs added. "Count us in. Sorry about the jokes earlier—we didn't realize how insensitive we were about this."

"It's fine," Tifa sighed, both in relief and gratitude. "I was honestly scared to go in alone, but now that I have you guys with me, I'm sure we can get through to him better, hm?"

"Of course. Now, what do you think he'd like for dinner? The fastest way to one's thoughts is through the stomach!"

~.~.~

"Aerith."

Aerith stuck a hand out and used her magic to quickly lock the door to her room from beneath her covers, but Elmyra was too knowledgeable about the tricks the Cetra had up her sleeves as her keys jingled against the doorknob. Not in the mood to talk about anything to her mother, Aerith threw the covers over her face when Elmyra stepped in.

"What did I say, Mom? Just let me have some privacy around here," Aerith mumbled.

"I'm not here to question anything," Elmyra stated matter-of-factly. "I sure got a lot to say, but seeing how the last time you ever shut yourself off like this was when Zack died, I'm going to leave you to it, but with some food. Eat something already."

Elmyra placed the tray of food onto Aerith's desk before giving the body underneath the blankets a look. Shaking her head, Elmyra simply sighed before she left the Cetra alone and went out the door, closing it with a click.

"This is why I said not to get involved with mako eyes ever again," Elmyra whispered behind the door before she went back down the stairs.

Aerith didn't bother getting up to peek at what kind of food Elmyra cooked for her. She felt terribly bad for not appreciating what was given, but satiating her appetite was the last thing on her mind as her head tripped and stumbled on everything that went wrong. She desperately kept herself in check and did everything she could to not take her phone and call him endlessly, to walk over to Sector 7 and see him, to do everything she could to explain and clear everything up, because being separated from him in this situation tore at her heart like iron claws. However, she knew with the way he completely steeled his walls against her last night that the last thing he needed was some forceful confrontation, and the last thing she ever wanted to do was ever see him run away from her again.

Yes, she was scared, but she believed that giving him the time and space to think things through was necessary. She had to wipe another tear that threatened to fall out of her eyes at the thought.

She shouldn't have kept the picture flipped for so long. If she had just told him gently, sooner than later, then could she have avoided all of this?

Aerith blindly reached underneath her bed frame to search for the fallen picture that she still hadn't picked up from last night. She got off her bed and kneeled on the floor to get it, but she was quick to return to it as she held the nostalgic picture up to her face where her eyes could study it.

Zack had been adamantly against taking the picture because, apparently, the "risks" were too great in leaving behind physical evidence of their relationship. Of course, with the help of Kunsel's persuading skills and her immature pleading at the time, he had caved, and the three of them traveled to a grassy plain near the edge of Sector 5 and snapped the memoir. He refused to have a copy of it, and even though Aerith knew that having such a thing in his possessions during his travels was the quickest way to get her location leaked, she couldn't help but feel sad at the time.

"Stupid Zack," she muttered, fingers grazing over his smiling face over the photo. "You just had to leave like that, hm? Leave without even saying goodbye before you entered the Lifestream—a cool guy until the very end."

~ _Nine Years Ago_ ~

_"Can you repeat that, please?"_

_Kunsel gripped the sheathed sword that latched onto his belt, rock stuck in his throat as he swallowed harshly in a futile attempt to get it down. He had already said it two times—there needn't be a third._

_However, he couldn't tear his eyes away from the blank look the fifteen-year-old gave him, a look that coerced him into it. So, despite knowing how she could've just collapsed right then and there, he repeated his words._

_"He's missing in action, Aerith. They took him—Shinra. And he never came back. The last time I saw him," Kunsel took in a shaky breath, "was when he was battling Sephiroth. At Nibelheim. Our troops had to retreat, but he… stayed."_

_"And you didn't bother convincing him otherwise?"_

_"Someone needed to fend off Sephiroth. Look, Aerith, I'm sorry, I know this is really hard to take in, but—"_

_"Won't you tell me the truth? Of how he died? Please?" Aerith interjected, slowly shaking her head, but it was eerie with the way her eyes never detached from the same spot on the ground._

_Kunsel, who was unaware of her powers as a Cetra, frowned as he watched her denial take a physical shape on her face. "I… don't know. He's missing in action. I'm sorry, but I really don't kno—"_

_"Give me a better answer, Kunsel!"_

_The young teenager finally exploded as she launched her hands out for Kunsel's collar, and he did nothing to stop her as she shook him furiously—as if that would get the answers out of him. Elmyra, who had enough of a sense to give the two some privacy, rushed out from the kitchen and opened the front door to see what all the commotion was about._

_"Aerith, come, don't be like this," her mother said bitterly as she grabbed onto her daughter's shoulders to prevent her from hurting the SOLDIER. "He came all this way despite what has been happening lately to deliver you this news—don't treat him this way."_

_"I know you're lying to me, Kunsel!" Aerith screamed, now fighting both Kunsel and her mom as hot tears blurred her eyes. Her nails clawed at the skin underneath his clothes while her eyes glowed a feral green as her powers started to get out of control, unable to be kept at bay as her shock and disbelief shook her core and spread to tinge every single strand of hair on her body. "You're keeping something from me and I know it!"_

_"Aerith, stop," Elmyra demanded, but Kunsel shook his head to signal that it was okay, that the pain she felt was expected and welcomed._

_"I'll let you know as soon as possible if I find anything about his whereabouts. Until then, please," Kunsel clasped onto one of Aerith's hands as her violent outburst slowly began to cool. "Take care of yourself. Don't do anything rash—Zack wouldn't want it any other way."_

_Aerith's knees finally buckled as she took the floor, scraping her knees against the concrete of her doorstep painfully as her tears wet the grey. Elmyra and Kunsel followed her descent as they kneeled next to her, ears open as her wails of sorrow pierced the air. The Planet heard her cries as the wind comforted both her and the flowers around her who joined in her sobs, their stems swayed erratically in the autumn blows._

_"Shinra," she finally said when her voice calmed to a mere whisper. "Please."_

_"What is it?"_

_"See their end. With all my being, I want them gone."_

_"… We will try our best."_

_Kunsel hesitated mentioning it, but he went on with it since the similarities were too hard for him to ignore. "We… got a new recruit recently. I think he's the same age as you. Maybe a little younger. He… lost a lot of things too. But there's something about him—something I know will cause a change around here."_

_"Why are you telling me this?"_

_"So that you know that you're not alone. And that not all hope is lost with how we've been losing against Shinra recently. We… will see to it—Shinra's end. For you. For the new recruit. For everyone here in Midgar."_

_"…"_

_"I promise."_

_That was the last time Aerith ever saw Kunsel._

~.~.~

Aerith sniffed as she turned her attention to her fifteen-year-old self, shaking her head in mock disappointment. "Too naïve back then. Be glad I've turned out to be who I am today or else we'd both hide our faces away in embarrassment."

Stopping her reminiscing, she tossed the picture back on her desk as she collapsed back onto her sheets. She stared at the wall, foolish to think that maybe something would change if she just laid there, wasting the minutes and the hours and the days away as the specks against the ceiling of her wall remained unshifting.

"No, you can't do this, Aerith," she said to herself as she sprung back up. Half of her blankets fell over the edge of her bed as she swung her legs over it. "It's not like you to just stand back and wait. Not anymore."

Cloud could take all the time he needed—she would wait—but she couldn't just sit around doing nothing. No, she needed to get moving—for him and for herself—even if it meant trudging forward with her saddened, heavy heart.

She needed to show him. To show him how much their time meant to her and how much _he_ meant to her. Nothing from the past ever defined their relationship, and it was going to take a lot more than just a few words from her mouth to get him truly believe that. No, it had to be something more— something greater.

"Look at how much trouble you got me into, Zack," she scolded the picture when she stood up and gave it a warning tap with a finger. "Because of you, I got a lot of explaining to do; always giving me a headache even when you're gone, hm? Just kidding, it's my fault too, but you get what I mean."

Before she got to work, she pulled out another frame from beneath the drawer of her desk. She popped it open and slipped the picture into it.

This time, it faced forwards.

Aerith nodded as she neatly tucked it between her penholders.

"Gotta look forward, not back."

~.~.~

_Knock, knock, knock!_

"Cloud, we all know you're in there, let's not pretend here!" Jessie yelled through the door as her fist rapped against the flimsy wood. "We got you food. Tifa especially whipped it up for you so let's hurry on out and fill that empty stomach of yours, shall we?"

Silence.

"C'mon, boy." It was Barret's turn as he took Jessie's position and knocked even harsher on the door and boomed his voice loud enough for the entire apartment complex to hear. "You know how Tifa's cooking is: out of this world. Let's not miss out on it."

Silence.

"Here, let me," Tifa gently pushed Barret to the side to get her own knack at it. "Cloud?" She knocked twice. "We're all here to give you some food. I made your favorite: BBQ meat that highly resembles the stuff you see in Wall Market. Jessie helped with the sauce!"

And silence.

"I don't think he's coming out, guys," Wedge whimpered as he played with his hands a bit. "And Cloud's kind of scary when he's all quiet like this."

Jessie didn't have any plans to wait it out, so instead, she bumped Tifa over to the side and nearly punched the door as she knocked again.

"Cloud Strife, I'm giving you a warning right now: don't make me!"

"Maybe we shouldn't force him," Tifa said sullenly, feeling a bit bad for invading his privacy when he obviously didn't want any company at the moment. "Perhaps we should come at another time?"

"Tifa, it's almost six in the evening; we're going to find a rotting corpse sooner or later if we leave this be," Biggs reasoned as he watched all of their attempts to get the blond to open up. "He could at least let us see his face, take the food, and tell us to leave—it shouldn't be that hard, right?"

"Right," Tifa replied more confidently as she sighed.

"So, I got a real question here," said Barret, piquing everyone's interest. "How expensive is this door?"

"…Why?"

When Barret and Jessie gave each other a knowing look, Tifa should've stopped them.

"On the count of three," Jessie smirked.

Barret nodded. "One…"

"Two…"

"Three!"

Barret punched the door while Jessie kicked it, earning an audible noise of surprise from Wedge while Tifa and Biggs instantly dropped their jaws shamelessly onto the ground. The already-fragile door collapsed, allowing the nightlights from the outside to stream gently in from the opening.

In the dark, Cloud immediately jumped up onto his feet from his bed, eyes rapidly blinking as he adjusted to the new light. However, the immense frown that angled on his forehead did not go by unnoticed as he crossed his arms and released the biggest sigh the Planet had ever heard.

"You think resorting to property damage is the way to go?" he snorted as his eyes burned through Jessie and Barret. "Seriously, I'm not in the mood right now—get out."

"Don't worry, I don't want to stay here any longer than I need to," growled Barret as he snatched the bag of food that Tifa had so carefully packaged for him out of her hands. His feet thumped against the floors as his bulky figure seemed to fill up the tiny room. With one turn of the knob on the lamp, he turned on the light, causing Cloud to wince as the brightness hurt his eyes.

If they didn't know that he had trapped himself all day in his room, then they wouldn't have known that there was a problem to begin with. Cloud looked fine— _too_ fine. With hair showered, face washed, and clothes fresh, the merc showed no signs of despair.

Except for the blank look in his eyes.

"I'm not paying for my door. Suit yourselves," he sighed, not surprised with the antics his friends came up with. He went back onto his bed and laid on it, making sure his back faced them as his eyes stared down his wall. "Hurry up and leave when you guys are done making a mess out of my place."

Barret made sure all his movements were loud and obnoxious as he set up all of the food that Tifa and Jessie took the time to make for him. Biggs and Wedge stood by the door as Tifa and Jessie approached the bed in an attempt to talk to the blond.

"Cloud." Tifa hesitantly sat down on the edge of it next to his backside as she looked at his tense shoulders. "Cloud, c'mon, hm?"

Her hand gently placed itself on his arm, but she gasped when he roughly shrugged it off and sat back up instantly.

"I'm serious— _get out_ ," he hissed. His eyes flashed dangerously, the mako seemingly coursing through his irises as they glowed with anger and irritation. He didn't even falter in his expression when he saw the surprise and hurt on Tifa's face. There were a lot of things running through his mind; offering his friends any hospitality was not one of them. "Be glad I left you off with a warning when you knocked down my door. Take the warning now and _leave_ before I do more than just place a bill for it."

Tifa hadn't seen this side of Cloud since the time when he first settled into Sector 7, and it scared her. The sharpness—the coldness—of his eyes ripped through her as she stiffened her muscles in a natural response of defense. However, she told herself to relax as she took a deep breath in, easing away the tension she felt as he burned his orbs into hers.

She wasn't going to be scared this time.

"What, what—what are you going to do, huh?" Jessie mockingly shot back as placed her hands on her hips. "Barret's right. Don't worry, we'll be out of your shoes in a jiffy, you prick. It's not like your room is some sort of haven I'd like to stay in any longer anyway."

Cloud turned his gaze to glare at Jessie this time, but he didn't say anything as he let his eyes do the talking. Jessie threw her hands up in defeat in a moment of anger, but she slowly let them fall back to her sides as her frustration at the blond died down; getting angry wasn't going to solve anything.

"We just wanted to make sure that you're alive, give you some food for the day, and be on our way if you don't wanna talk," Biggs explained, a small, grim smile bent at his mouth. "We're just worried for you, buddy. Don't be too mean to us."

"There's nothing to talk about," dismissed Cloud, looking away from everyone as he directed his eyes back towards his sheets.

Biggs nodded. "Alright. Just eat up then. Come out tomorrow when you feel better."

"What Biggs said," Jessie glumly muttered as she felt her ponytail. "And open up the window for some air."

Cloud watched as Jessie strode across his room so that she could open the window that he built.

That _they_ built.

Cloud clutched the hair at the front of his head as he clenched his eyes shut, not wanting to remember any of their happier moments right now as he shook them out of his mind. The only thing he could do to feel better was just _not_ to think. If he didn't think, then he wouldn't remember. If he didn't remember, then he wouldn't have to feel. If he didn't have to feel, then he would feel better—certainly.

That was how it worked before anyway.

The only difference was that it wasn't working this time.

"Just go," he repeated, voice broken this time as all the agitation dissipated. "Thanks for coming. Don't worry about the door. Just go."

"Cloud," Tifa half-whispered, unable to take in the sight of him being so sad anymore. She slowly pulled him over for a hug, one that he didn't return as he stared past her shoulder and landed his eyes on Jessie's military boots. "You're not alone anymore. Not like before. Didn't we already establish that just a while ago?"

Barret finished setting up his food before he took a seat at the bed as well, making it creak underneath his weight. His lips were in a tight, straight line as he hesitantly put a hand on Cloud's back, not really knowing what to say or do, but wanting to let him know that he was there.

"Let's not stay like this for long," he grumbled. "It's not good to keep yourself shut in this stale room of yours."

Tifa pulled away, enabling Jessie to join the party in their consoling as she approached the blond and patted his shoulder comfortingly, a small smile of her own appearing as she sighed.

"We won't ask you anything. Just don't make us wait like this. Much to all of our surprises, we can get pretty worried about you too even though you can probably solve everything with that sword of yours," quipped Jessie in an attempt to lighten up the mood. "Buster Sword first, then brain, right?"

"I'm not that much of a knucklehead," Cloud retorted, but a small hint of amusement laced his voice as he pursed his lips. When Tifa saw how he was restraining himself from showing his emotions, she shook her head and urged him to look in her eyes.

"Look, we're here for you, okay? Tell us what's wrong sometimes. Aerith…" Cloud visibly stiffened at the mention of her name, causing Tifa's heart to prick a little bit as she saw his reaction. "Aerith's worried about you."

"Did you talk to her?" he immediately questioned; his walls pulled up once more as he let out a shaky breath. "If you brought her here, then I—"

"Relax. It's just us," Biggs assured. He awkwardly lifted up the door from the ground and tried to fit it back as best as he could. When the entrance was covered up, he wiped his hands and jokingly presented the door to Cloud. "The door is now closed. Rest assured, security is at its maximum right now."

Everyone laughed at Biggs's half-baked repair job except for Cloud, who managed a small smile in appreciation. When he saw the food set up for him at his desk, his sucked his lips in as he began to feel guilty about the way he initially greeted them.

"Sorry," muttered Cloud. "I just…"

He trailed off, not knowing what to say to his dear friends who he now realized came all this way because they were his _friends_ , and they were _worried._ He rubbed the back of his neck, unsure whether or not he wanted them to be here with him. It would be too much work to deny the fact that he _did_ feel a sort of comfort from just their presence—the darkness was not doing any good at all as a companion—but it was weird. Strange. Unusual.

Never had he ever reached out towards his friends this way whenever he was in a pinch. He solved his issues himself—or, at least, tried his best to—because that was just how he naturally was. Guarded and closed off—a lone wolf. It felt more… _comfortable_ that way _._ He felt more secure, and things would happen more within his predictions because he would just be on his own, not needing to consider anything or anyone else during his calculations.

Of course, this way of life got instantly burned because a certain Cetra did not approve at all.

Aerith, Aerith, Aerith.

It was always her. It had always _been_ her. Now and before—always.

"How is she?" he finally asked, and it surprised him that _this_ was the first thing he proactively said to his friends. While the feelings of betrayal were still present, he still managed to worry over her wellbeing despite his own being near rock-bottom.

Tifa pulled some hair behind her ear, but that one second of unnatural silence was enough of an answer for Cloud. He ran his two hands through his hair as he tried to wrap his mind around the entire situation, trying to find some control over it, but the situation had long since escaped his control.

"If you're okay with it, tell us," Tifa urged one more time. "If not, we can just go, but make sure you eat and—"

"Aerith had a lover," Cloud blurted out, instantly silencing everyone and stilling their movements as they realized that Cloud Strife was _actually_ talking. He had to wait a bit as everyone got situated in his room. Barret and Tifa positioned themselves on his bed while the rest joined the floor nearby his feet. When he was beginning to feel uncomfortable again at the thought of telling them what had happened, no one said anything as they allowed him to take his time, clearly seeing how much he was struggling to even say it. However, he sucked it up, and he allowed everything to just spill.

"Remember that… story I told? About the guy who saved my life?"

"As clear as day," answered Biggs.

"He was Aerith's lover. Before he died."

"…"

"… Are you talking about Zack Fair? The guy we kept hearing about at topside?" Tifa widened her eyes. "The man who… saved us at Nibelheim?"

"Yes," Cloud confirmed, getting jumpy as he played at the leather of his gloves. "That's him. That's the SOLDIER Aerith was with. The guy that I _killed_."

"Okay, no, don't say that," Jessie frowned, but he didn't listen to her as he began to tumble down the road of rumination.

"I found their picture. She never told me, and I don't know how long she intended to hide it from me," he said bitterly. "I don't think I can handle that fact—the fact that the guy she loved before me was taken away because his life was given in exchange for mine. The whole reason why I'm even here is because of him, and I can't—"

Cloud's heart sped up unnaturally as his head met a familiar pain. He shook his head, not wanting the mako poisoning to get at him again. Knowing the signs, Tifa patted his back to get him out of it, making sure that her presence and everyone else's were right next to him.

He didn't need to go back.

"Cloud…"

"She knew since the beginning." His voice cracked terribly as he dug in further. "She knew, but she never told me. This sword," he pointed to the large blade that sat against his wall next to his bed, "is a weapon known for its wielders. No one else has a sword like it. First Angeal, then Zack, then me. She knew, but she kept it from me. Is it because of my past with Zack? Did she even ever _look_ at me?"

"Cloud, what are you trying to say?" Jessie asked warningly.

"I'm starting to think that all she ever looked at was the part of me that will forever be connected to Zack."

"No, no—"

"I can't live with that—the idea of being with someone who will always be reminded of that person every time she looks at me, the person who sacrificed his life needlessly for someone like me. It should've been me who perished at the edge of Midgar. Zack—he was loved by everyone, by _her_. Everyone in SOLDIER knew him; there was not a single soul who didn't. I'm just a shadow, and the Buster Sword is just a mere remnant of its past two owners. It's not mine; it has never been mine. Zack didn't need to go like that, to die so alone in the barren waste fields of Midgar. It should've been—"

"What are you trying to say, huh?" Jessie got onto her knees as she clasped onto Cloud's shoulders and shook him violently. Tifa tried to stop her, but Barret shook his head, signaling for her to step back. "Cloud Strife, are you trying to say that you should've been the one in his stead? That _you_ should've died like that?"

"If it means that Zack could've lived on, then yes," Cloud spat darkly. However, Jessie wasn't having any of it.

"That's not true! What do we have to say to convince you otherwise?" she snapped. "Aerith, she has always looked at you for _you_ , not anyone else. And as a person who had tried to get in between you guys before, I _know_. I know that she has never looked for Zack in you. And his death? Not your fault! How could you say something so sad in his memory? Just how could you?"

"You don't know anything." Cloud tried to tear her hands off of him, but Jessie never let go as she tried to pull him out of this depressing thinking.

"That night we went to topside," Biggs began, "you could've fooled me. Because I don't think anyone ever mistook you as anyone else. All I heard was Cloud Strife the asshole—the asshole who saved lives."

"There's nobody here that Aerith cares more about than you," Jessie continued. "How could you let the past define her love for you? She's done! It's been what, almost ten years since Zack's death? Aerith is a grown woman now. Will she ever forget Zack? No, but that doesn't mean she's foolish enough to seek reunion with her dead lover through you, who is alive and warm and has blood flowing through you! Seriously, you can't think like this. His death is not your fault, and this stupid hunk of a sword," she reached out to the wall and heaved the sword and its enormous weight over so that he could look right at it. "is yours! No one else on this blasted Planet can swing it around the way you do or else their arm would fall off."

"Even though I don't agree with how Jessie is yelling at you," Tifa shot Jessie a look, "what she is saying… is right, Cloud. Do you want to know what she told me a while ago?"

Cloud didn't say anything, but she took his silence as a signal to speak. "Before our talk, I was really scared of you, Cloud. I think everyone was." At this, everyone nodded in agreement. "You were so cold, and no one dared to approach you. But did you know when that began to change? It started to change the moment you met Aerith."

"What are you talking about?" he chuckled darkly. After all, he only laughed whenever he found himself stuck in a ditch, waiting for the water to climb up to his neck and eventually submerge him. Tifa, the same as Jessie, was not tolerant of it, and forced him to look her in the eyes so that he knew how serious she was.

"We've known you for five years—I've known you since childhood—yet Aerith, who had only met you a month or so prior, _knew_ you. More than any of us here at the time because she saw you for who you were, not for what you appeared to be. Something I couldn't even do for you. She… during the eco-project," Tifa took a slow, deep breath to catch herself a little bit, but also to allow her words to sink deeper into Cloud, whose frown was starting to go away, "She was the one who told me to have some more courage to talk to you when I leaked my insecurities about our interactions by accident. Let me tell you: I've never felt so ashamed with my lack of an initiative in my life."

"… What did she say?" A familiar hitch lodged his throat, growing more and more uncomfortable as he tried to quell it by swallowing it.

Tifa smiled at him warmly as she herself thought back to what Aerith had said to her.

_"It's not too late. His doors are always unlocked. You just have to speak up, hm?" And Aerith gave her a wide, sympathetic smile of encouragement. "He's the same Cloud Strife you know."_

"When I thought that you were too far changed—too far to reach—she was the one who let me know that you never went anywhere, that your… doors were always open. The Cloud Strife I've known since childhood had always been there, but just in a slightly different form; that was what she taught me. And she wouldn't have been able to tell me that if she didn't see you for you, Cloud. She always saw you for you, and her past with Zack has nothing to do with how much you guys care for each other, okay? And as for why she kept it from you…"

"Did you not think that she did it all for you?" Barret finally spoke up, being silent with Wedge the entire time. "With that whole freak attack last night, you think she wouldn't know? She called us to come get you and your ass home knowing how you would react."

"I don't really get what's going on too much," added Wedge, but he had his fists up in encouragement as he nodded enthusiastically, "Aerith is a nice girl! She always seems to look out for everyone, even for someone like me. She's always telling me how to lead a healthy lifestyle and everything!"

"And you know better than anyone why Aerith did what she did if you gave it some thinking," Tifa finalized, not wanting to put anymore on him. "She cares for you, Cloud. A lot. And I hope you realize that for yourself." Tifa stood up, inspected Barret's neat arrangement of his meal on the table, and gestured it towards Cloud. "Come eat sometime okay? When it's still warm."

Signaling everyone that their check-up on the blond was done, Tifa gave Cloud one more brief hug before she went over to the busted door.

"We'll pitch in for the door. Sorry about that. Was the only way we could've gotten to you," Jessie apologized as she gave him a one-armed hug as well.

"Just don't ignore us next time," Barret warned before giving Cloud harsh thumps against his back as goodbye. "That, or get a better door next time."

Biggs and Wedge said their goodbyes as well, but before everyone left, Cloud finally spoke up.

"Sorry. And… thanks."

"Thank _you,_ Cloud, for telling us. And no problem. After all, what are friends for?"

The gang exited, making sure the door looked as intact as possible from the other side before Cloud heard their slow footsteps climb down the stairs. Heaving a huge breath, Cloud collapsed back onto his bed, allowing everything his friends beat into his head just sink and be processed. He held his hand up to ceiling, staring through the slits between his fingers as he remained deep in thought.

Was what they said really true?

_You make me feel so special. You don't make me feel insecure, not at all, and… you make me feel like I really am someone important to you. I thought you would be cheeky with this whole relationship, or closed off since you are a buffoon sometimes, but you're just—I don't know—you're just so much more than I expected. And… it really makes me feel like the happiest girl on the Planet._

"Fuck," he cursed, and he sat right back up. He forced himself to get out of his bed, sat at his desk, and scarfed down the food, not letting one bit go to waste as he recognized how much his friends cared for him enough to visit and say all those things to him. As he satiated his sudden hunger, he thought long and hard about what to do next.

Aerith had done so much for him; it was time that he did something for her.

When he was done eating, he knew exactly what he had to do.

Reaching for his phone in his pocket, he made an important call.

_Beep… beep… beep…_

Then, the person picked up.

"Cloud? I didn't expect a call from you so soon! What's up? How've you been doing?"

"Kunsel," Cloud swallowed down the rest of the lump before he readied himself. "I'll get straight to the point—I need a favor."

And he explained to Kunsel what he wanted to do, all the while omitting many details as to why he was requesting for his assistance in this matter. When Cloud finish, Kunsel's happy tone was close to gone.

"Cloud, no, as much as I want to help you, I do _not_ want you to go through that. The mechanics of it—you won't be able to—"

"Kunsel," Cloud interrupted, and the sincerity in his voice was unmistakable, even through the phone. "I'm asking you. This is really important. I'll do whatever it takes because it's… something that has been buried for too long. Well, it won't be anymore if you help me."

Cloud was met with silence, and he knew Kunsel was thinking hard about it before he made his decision.

"I don't got that sort of authority, Cloud, even if I wanted to help. I hate to say this, but not anyone can access it—it's top-level government stuff."

"Don't you have some power? After all, everyone knows you in SOLDIER, even if you were just second-class. Can't you pull some ropes?"

"If we're going to talk about authority and rank here, then _you_ have more of it than me since you're considered first-class."

"Kunsel, let's be real here—I was never registered as an official SOLDIER," sighed Cloud, leaning back into his chair as he ran a hand through his blond locks. "I don't even have an ID or anything. They'll call bullshit on me, even if they know who I am. Is there really nothing you can do?"

"Sorry, I can't help you in this department, but…"

"But?"

"I think you personally know someone who can."

"Kunsel, what are you— _oh._ "

"Yeah. You got it?"

Cloud nodded, but realized that Kunsel couldn't see him and said, "I'll get back to you, if that's okay."

"Yeah, of course. Cloud… are you sure you're going to be okay?"

"… Yes. I think so. Thanks."

"… Good luck. Let me know how things go, and I'll try my best to help you out in any way I can."

"Got it."

Cloud ended the call, but he quickly rung up another number right after, nervousness already filling up his veins as he shook his leg in impatience. When the person finally picked up at the last ring, he steeled himself.

"Hey, Genesis. It's me, Cloud. Do you have some time?"


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Helloooooo! Here is the awaited chapter 20, the second to last chapter of this fic! This took a really long time to write and edit because it's a really important chapter, and I tried my best to portray the scenes that played perfectly in my head, but not so perfectly through writing xDDDD So if this resolution isn't as satisfying as you guys have been waiting for, I'm sorry! I really try my best in everything I write, so at least there's that! So much support for this fic, and one more chapter til the end! If you guys haven't already, follow me on twitter (a) cresciejo to get updated with what Im doing and perhaps find reasons as to why I haven't been writing/taking a long time updating (Life updates, etc.)
> 
> I am sad to tell you guys that I got summer classes to take, so updates shall sadly be slowed until I'm done LOL Hopefully you guys can wait!
> 
> But let's get on to the show! Enjoy~

Cloud stood awkwardly in the lobby of the old Shinra HQ, which now operated as the hub for the Midgar Restoration Council Post Shinra. Standing inside the building where he had once killed and fought for his life gave him an odd feeling, but it was a bizarre sort of nostalgia more than anything else. The people at the front desk were greatly unnerved as they took in the sight of his tense figure along with the gigantic sword attached across his back. None of them said anything as they warily watched the spiky-haired blond stranger, suspicious with his every movement as his eyes scanned the familiar inner structure of the building. Since they were just here for the job, they didn't recognize who he was and would have called security if not for Genesis's timely arrival.

"Cloud, my boy!" the redhead shouted from across the lobby. His hands were outstretched as he approached the swordsman, grin so clear on his face that it made Cloud wince outwardly. "You're here early!"

"Can never be late as a SOLDIER," Cloud said for old times' sake as he closed the distance between them as well. He glanced at the front desk people to make sure they weren't just staring holes at him anymore and smirked a little bit when they all busied themselves back into their work and phone calls.

"You know, you really surprised me when you called the other day. Haven't had the time to meet up with the other first-class SOLDIERs this month?"

Cloud didn't miss the way Genesis indirectly questioned him why he hadn't made it to the hangouts on the 10th and 20th of the month. He decided to give him the deaf ear about the subject because he wasn't planning on outwardly admitting to the former SOLDIER how he had been too absorbed with Aerith to care about the reunions.

"Sorry to spring this up on you," Cloud apologized for his unusual and unexpected request. "It's probably too much of a favor, but—"

"Nonsense. It's something small, so if all you need is access to it with my authority, then it's simple," waved off Genesis with a hand. "But," the redhead's smile disappeared, "Kunsel told me. About your condition."

"Ah…" The merc placed a hand on his neck as he became uncomfortable with the subject.

"I'm not so nosy as to question why you suddenly need this sort of favor, but…" Genesis shook his head, "If what Kunsel told me is still true today, then I don't know if I'm willing to allow this—not when I know the consequences of it all."

"I'll be fine," assured Cloud, not wanting this chance to slip through. "I've received enough warnings already."

"It's all talk until you actually experience it. It goes deep, Cloud. Very deep—I would know. I've been under it."

"…"

Seeing Cloud's adamant silence, Genesis simply sighed, looking at the much younger male before he managed a small smile. "But I'm not your dad or anything, so if you understand everything and what you're getting into, then alright. I won't stop you."

Cloud nodded. "… Thanks, Genesis."

The former commander clapped Cloud on the shoulder before he led the way up the old Shinra building. As he followed him, Cloud controlled his breathing, making sure that he was, indeed, ready to take on what he had signed himself up to. All this wasn't just for Aerith—it was for him too. Once and for all, he was going to move forward, to leave the past behind—to accept it in its entirety.

And it started with this.

~.~.~

"Done!"

Aerith wiped her forehead with her arm as she looked at her finished work. She hadn't taken her tools and materials out since her days of hiding from Shinra a decade ago, so it took quite a large amount of time to finish what she had to do with her rusty skills. However, they weren't rusty by the time she was done. While her spirits were relatively low and motivation near-nonexistent from time to time because of her lack of communication with Cloud for the past week, she always pushed herself back up knowing that she was doing her best, and if she wanted Cloud to get that message, she couldn't just give up in the middle of it.

Elmyra hadn't made things easier for her. Constantly, the Cetra could feel her grey eyes just latched onto her, watching her every movement as she stared disapprovingly at her daughter for doing what she did. Out of all the first impressions she could've formed for the hired mercenary-turned-boyfriend, she just _had_ to form the worst one, and Aerith didn't need to hear it from her to know what it was. Truly, the timing was terrible; Aerith feared that it might take a huge effort to change Elmyra's thinking of the swordsman.

But that was a later problem. Now, she had other things to worry about; at least Elmyra recognized that and kept quiet the entire time.

"I wonder what you're doing, Cloud," Aerith sighed to herself as she threw down her tools and sat on the ground, eyes taking in the beauty of her flowers that she had been cultivating for years. "I hope you're okay."

She began to experience the familiar feeling of heartbreak as she replayed that night in her mind, physically cringing as the pang hit at her chest. The hurt in his eyes, the tears that slid down his usually-expressionless face, the betrayal and anger that coursed through his voice—it hurt her as much as he had been to see just how broken he was when he learned of the truth. Hand clutching the fabrics of her dress, Aerith shook her head to prevent the spiral of negativity.

"Can't think like that yet; not when you haven't shown him your best. You can do it, Aerith—you can."

And she set off to finalize everything before the big day with a phone call.

~.~.~

"Biggs, Barret, hurry it up!" Jessie growled at the two men who dragged behind the rest of the group. "Lunch is waiting, and I'm way too hungry to wait for your slow asses!"

"You think you're the only one who's hungry?" Biggs shouted back as he stopped to catch his breath. The gang had barely made it past the gate that separated the monster trails from the civilian area when Biggs and Barret had to halt and take a breather. Walking back and forth between such large distances underneath the heat of the blazing sun had drained their energy immensely; they weren't quite sure how Tifa, Jessie, and even Wedge were able to keep their fast paces. "We've walked to and from the edge of Midgar so many times already carrying a bunch of stuff. How on earth are you guys still walking so fast?"

"I can't… breathe. Let's just… sit down for a bit," Barret wheezed for air as he plopped right onto the ground. For such a big, musclebound man, the gunman's stamina was quite lacking. Tifa, who had led the way in the front, turned around to look at all of her tired friends, hands on hips as she cocked an eyebrow up at all of them.

"I didn't know you guys were so unathletic," she joked with a small laugh as she waited for them to catch up minus Barret.

"Not everyone's like you, Tifa," Wedge whined as he huffed to catch his breath. "You're dedicated to your exercise routine; I haven't seen Biggs lift any weights since last month. You too Jessie!"

"Don't expose me like that. At least I'm still more fit than Biggs," panted Jessie as she caught up to Tifa and stood next to her. "What kind of men are you? All muscles but no show—bet there's fat underneath that shirt of yours, Biggs. I know you're lying about those nonexistent abs."

In immediate response to her diss, Biggs took a hand and lifted up his shirt so that he could flash all his glory and prove a point. Tifa laughed even harder as Jessie mimed a gag with a finger in her mouth.

"They might not be as good as Cloud's—what the hell does that guy even do to keep them like that?—but anytime you say that, I'll always be willing to show you otherwise," Biggs smirked as he let his shirt fall. "Speaking of Cloud, where is he? We've been helping him transport stuff this entire morning, but we haven't seen his face all day _._ "

"He went to topside to pick something up," Tifa explained. "Though, I'm not sure what it is. He's been going up there quite a bit this entire week."

"And he's not explaining why?" Barret finally spoke again as he stood back up. Now that he was back on his feet, the gang continued their way back to 7th Heaven. "Snarky asshole dares to ask us for a favor, yet he's not tellin' about what he's planning."

"I think he's keeping it a secret on purpose," Biggs proposed. "But I don't mind—a little bit of mystery is always exciting."

"Not exciting enough to haul my ass back and forth between Sector 7 and the edge of Midgar carrying cargo," exasperated Jessie. "Cloud owes me _big_ time."

"We got a big day ahead of us, don't get tired just yet!" Tifa encouraged as she held up her two fists and nodded enthusiastically. "After lunch, we got another favor to fulfill, remember?"

"You don't have to remind us," Barret huffed, already out of breath again as his feet dragged across the dirt path. "Why did the both of them have to plan their little thing for each other on the _same_ day? I'm tired, I'm telling ya, tired!"

"Quit complaining and save the rest of your energy because you'll need it," hissed Jessie. "If these two don't make up after all of this, I'm going to flip tables before I can sleep peacefully tonight."

When the group reached 7th Heaven, they didn't expect to see Cloud standing in front of the bar talking with someone. Coming closer, they recognized the person as the one who MC'd at the celebration.

"Cloud, you're finally back," Tifa greeted. She then looked at Kunsel with a welcoming smile. "I don't think we've ever been formally introduced to each other, right?"

"Yup. You're all of Cloud's friends I saw at topside, right? It's a little bit late, but hi, I'm Kunsel." Kunsel nodded. "Former second-class SOLDIER. Assisted Cloud in a lot of our missions back in the day." He stuck his arm out so that he could shake everyone's hand before he returned over to Cloud's side. "I'm terrible at learning names, so I might not get it the first try, but tell me anyway."

Everyone went down the line in introducing themselves as Kunsel tried his best in matching the names to their faces.

"Done with your stuff at topside?" Biggs asked Cloud once all the introductions were done. He didn't miss brown, cardboard box that Cloud carried in his hands. "If so, then let's eat lunch. We finished bringing all the stuff over to the edge. Whenever you're ready, we can go to Sector 5."

"Um, thanks a lot, guys," Cloud sheepishly said as he managed a tiny smile towards his friends. "I know it was a lot—"

"Tell me about it," Barret rolled his eyes. Cloud scowled at his unnecessary interruption before continuing.

"But I couldn't have done it all by myself. I, uh, appreciate it." It was clear how the once-merciless swordsman was not comfortable nor used to showing his appreciation outwardly like this. He was clumsy with his words, but none of his friends minded as they all grinned at him and his ineloquence while expressing his true feelings.

"I expect great things in return—another trip to topside, maybe?" Jessie grinned wickedly. "And a paid meal at a high-class restaurant, thanks in advance."

"If I had that type of money, then you wouldn't even be seeing my face around here," Cloud deadpanned, not amused with her expectations. "A meal at Wall Market—take it or leave it."

"Boo." But the brunette accepted it anyway as she climbed up the steps to the bar. "So, how long do you guys plan on just standing around? I need some food in this stomach, asap!"

Everyone filed into the cold, AC'd air of the empty bar. Tifa had closed it for the hectic day, knowing that there would be no time for her to fit in any work hours in between. Cloud gently settled down the box onto one of the tables, but he never disclosed to anyone what was inside of it as he took a seat at one of the tables and laid the Buster Sword against an adjacent one. He looked extremely tired. Slight bags hung underneath his eyes and his hair was a bit messier than usual. However, no one questioned why; he had been too secretive with his activities up topside for anyone to dare to ask.

Even Kunsel was a bit confused as to why he was here in Sector 7 with the gang. The only thing he knew about Cloud's activity was his access to a certain room up topside, but why he had done it along with the contents of the box were also a mystery to him. Cloud had told him to come, which he did. But the purpose of his visit, he didn't know. Just like the rest of his friends, Kunsel was clueless as to what his former comradehad in store today.

"You haven't talked to Aerith the entire week? And she didn't call or message you either?" Tifa asked once they all settled down with some food in front of them. "Are you sure it's alright to just come to Sector 5 uninvited?"

"We can't keep avoiding each other forever, right?" Cloud mumbled, playing with his food a bit at the mention of meeting Aerith. "Calling or messaging feels wrong, so I'll just come in person and hope she'll… come along."

Cloud's insecurity leaked out immensely whether he knew it or not as his eyes stared glumly at his food. Everyone could see how afraid he was at the possibility of Aerith just rejecting him after how he had treated her, but that didn't seem to stop him and the busy activities he had been running all week.

Biggs patted him on the back encouragingly. "We'll be right behind you, buddy. You got us by your side."

"Thanks," Cloud sighed as he finally put some of the food in his mouth. "Again, sorry that I made you carry so much stuff over to the edge. There's a… reason why it has to be there."

"The mystery is too much—what do you have planned, Pretty Boy?" Jessie mused as she ravaged her meal. "Don't keep us waiting too long, alright?"

Cloud didn't say anything as he continued to eat his meal, silently getting himself ready for what he had to show to not only Aerith, but also to his dear friends.

The rest of their meal was quiet as only small chit-chat encompassed the table. It was obvious how Cloud's mind wasn't completely with them. However, their upcoming travel to Sector 5 didn't seem to be the reason why he seemed so aloof and out of it. What had he been doing at topside for the past week?

"Leave the dishes in the sink. I'll clean them later once we're all back," Tifa assured once everyone finished. "Are we ready to go?"

"Yup," Barret boomed as he placed his plate gently into the sink. "I think my energy's back. This time, y'all will be waitin' for me!"

" _Pfft,_ bet," Jessie snorted. She looked over at Cloud, who already had his sword back on his back and box in his hands, ready to embark on the nerve-wracking journey to Sector 5. "Feeling good, Pretty Boy?"

"Absolutely fantastic," he said dryly. "We all ready to go?"

"Yup."

Cloud led the way out of the bar. Kunsel was right behind him as Wedge and Barret followed suit. Jessie, Biggs, and Tifa made sure to stay behind a bit, and once Cloud was completely out of the door, Tifa took out her phone quickly.

"You going to call her now?" Biggs asked as Tifa scrolled through her contacts list.

"Quick, before he's wondering why you're taking so long. I'll go outside to make it seem less suspicious," Jessie warned before she left the two and took her exit.

"Gosh, she better pick up the phone," Tifa sighed as she bit the nail of her thumb. "I've noticed that she's kind of bad at answering calls."

"We've made it clear that it was going to be today, so I'm sure she'll—"

"She picked up! Hey. Yeah, we're coming. Make sure you got things ready!"

The train ride over to Sector 5 was silent. Cloud's eyes stared at empty space as the wheels rolled along the tracks. No one missed how he would occasionally snap out of it with a small shake of his head and blink a few timesbut he would eventually return to his dazed state anyway. It was concerning, to say the least, but with a lot of other things coming up in the next few hours, no one commented on it.

Tifa had been busy tapping on her phone, so she was actually a bit glad that Cloud wasn't his usual, attentive self as she communicated to Aerith through texts. Kunsel was the only one truly worried about Cloud since he at least had some clue about what the blond had gone through.

"Hey… are you alright, Cloud?" asked Kunsel worriedly. "You're not looking quite alright. Is it because of the—"

"Yeah, but it's fine," Cloud sighed as he rubbed the side of his neck with a hand. "I'll be fine. Don't worry about it."

"… If you say so."

When all of them stepped foot off the train and into Sector 5, Cloud's alertness came back momentarily as he took deep breaths in and long breaths out. His nervousness took the form of a gradually-increasing heartrate, a cold sweat, and a small, growing lump in his throat, but he willed his feet to move forward towards the familiar pathway to her house. His friends followed closely behind.

Until they reached the bridge that led straight to her home.

"Hey, Cloud," Jessie jogged up to him lightly and pulled at his arm, causing him to shoot an eyebrow up at her.

"What's up?" he inquired. He was so close to just walking over and knocking on her door; delaying it heightened his nervousness

"Come."

Cloud let out a small "whoa" when Jessie tugged him over to the side where the tall, flower bushes stood, hiding the view of her house once more. Not understanding why he was suddenly getting pulled away from his destination, he gently, yet firmly slipped out of Jessie's grip, eyes bright as he glared at her.

"What's the deal?" he asked irritably.

"Kunsel, you can stay here too," Wedge nodded as he situated the confused man next to Cloud. "It won't be long, promise!"

" _What_ are you guys doing?" Cloud continued to interrogate. The bewilderment in his eyes shone as his frown creased his forehead. When he glanced at Wedge and Jessie to show his agitation, he noticed that Tifa, Barret, and Biggs were out of sight—where did they go? "Are you guys messing with me right now? I'm not in the mood for any games."

"Oh, just be a good boy and wait here just a while longer," Jessie insisted as she kept him rooted by the shoulders. "Patience is virtue—something you're severely lacking. And these muscles—whew! They need to re _lax_."

"I'm not playing with you, Jessie," growled Cloud, hands flying up to his shoulders to remove her grip on him. "And where the hell did Tifa and the rest go? Let go of me already."

When he escaped out of her grip, Jessie tried to reach out and pull him back, but Wedge had already given the signal with a thumbs up, so she simply stood back to enjoy the rest of the show.

Flustered with how his friends were all acting a bit weird, Cloud's thoughts whirled through hisalready-spinning head as he now wondered where everyone went. Turning the corner, he was about to go and see what they were all up to, but he didn't get far when he bumped into something hard and solid—something that definitely wasn't there before.

"W-wha?"

He stepped back, heart skipping a beat suddenly at the unexpected obstacle in his path. His feet stumbled backwards as he regained his ground while his mind nearly went blank with what he saw.

"Surprise!" Tifa cheered, voice high-pitched as she screamed in glee.

"Surprise," Biggs and Barret followed along, not as excited as Tifa, but the smug smiles on their faces were enough to show their involved participation.

"Surprise," and the face that he had longed to see for the entire week popped up from behind the long canvas held by his three friends.

Cloud's mouth dumbly hung open as his wide eyes darted everywhere, from Tifa to Barret to Biggs to Aerith and, finally, to the panorama that they held in their hands with so much excitement and happiness. His eyes lingered on Aerith the longest before he could examine what his friends were even holding.

Even though it had only been a week, it was an excruciatingly long week. Considering how the last time he saw her was when he was just crying and yelling at her in his mako-induced rampage, he didn't expect such a soft, warm smile from her as she stood in all of her beautiful glory right before his eyes. Her emerald orbs glimmered underneath the light as she looked at him expectantly, waiting for a reaction other than his stupefied gaze.

He had expected her to remain upset, to perhaps realize that maybe, just maybe, their relationship truly wasn't what she wanted and that second thoughts had formed during the time they were away from each other. He had expected her to shut him out, to give him what he deserved for hurting her the way he did—for not giving her the chance to talk and explain herself. She didn't deserve any of his lashing out that night—none of it at all—and he wouldn't be surprised if she decided not to be with a man with his temperament.

Instead, she stood there so bright and so welcoming, her smile never fading. She tilted her head to the side cutely, wondering why he wasn't saying anything as his heart ached at the way she looked at him so lovingly despite everything that went down that night.

And his friends—were they all in on this too? On this plan to throw him completely off-guard and surprise him like this?

In their hands was a beautifully painted canvas that stretched nearly two meters horizontally and one meter vertically. All types of colors splashed on the canvas, but the scenes that they depicted became so alive and vivid in his mind as he recognized each and every one of them in the collage.

From their encounter on his first day of the job to the yellow flower she had given him; from the trees that they had planted together to their dance at topside; from their night at Wall Market to her room where he had patted her to sleep; from the hole she had blasted into his wall to the bench that they had sat on to admire the beautiful weather; from their first hug to their first kiss at the highest floor of the Shinra building; from their dinner at 7th Heaven with all of his friends to the night where they had kneeled before the yellow flower bed, foreheads pressed together as the towering church watched over their figures.

Everything.

Every memory and every moment of their time together was represented so gorgeously through different colors of paint, different strokes of the brush, and different techniques to bring out the life in each picture. Aerith had barely left any blank spots on the canvas; every scene merged to become interconnected.

To top it all off, in the middle of the canvas stood the biggest illustration out of all of them—a painting of just them two, holding hands as they looked at each other so happily as they walked off into the distance and into the painting as all of their memories surrounded them like clouds in the sky. What bloomed at their feet was a single, yellow flower—a flower that sprouted resiliently out of the rock with its yellow petals at full bloom.

"Even though it was kind of sad not talking to you for a week, it gave me a lot of time to do this," Aerith spoke up when Cloud showed no signs of saying anything. She gave a silly thumbs-up. "I drew a lot when I grew up in the Shinra building, so if you're amazed at how good I am, that's why!"

Even though Aerith seemed like her usual, chipper self, everyone could tell that she was a bit nervous with the way she clasped her hands together and twiddled her fingers. Removing herself from behind the canvas, she skipped over so that she could stand in front of him, blocking him from viewing it any longer—he had had enough time. His eyes slowly found hers.

"I don't really have much to say. We're in front of everyone," Aerith smiled sheepishly at all his friends— _her_ friends now—in apology. Everyone simply waved it off with a hand. "But Cloud… I'm really sorry for not telling you sooner. I… didn't think you were ready."

"Ready," he repeated in a flat yet questioning tone, finally saying a word, but his face remained relatively expressionless as he regarded her.

"I knew how sensitive you are about it," Aerith continued to explain, her confidence dying by the second with the way Cloud just stared at her. "I had an idea about how you were going to react, but if I knew that you would find out about Zack the way you did a week ago, then I would've told you all about it in a heartbeat. Really." She pursed her lips in a straight line, smile now gone as she heaved a sigh. "But believe me when I say that I never intended to keep it from you forever. I was going to tell you when the time was right, but I guess fate had other plans."

Aerith reached out and grabbed onto Cloud's hands, startling him as she pulled up another strong smile. She then gestured towards the canvas with a small turn of her head. "This is my gift to you, Cloud. I wanted to show you how much our moments meant to me—how I happy I really am to have met you—and I thought that this was the perfect way. Of course, there are many more moments, but one canvas can only fit so much!" She paused and took a long breath. "Cloud. I've… always enjoyed my time with you, and no history about how you ever got the Buster Sword is going to change that. That's all I wanted to say for now, and hopefully this painting really gets across how much you… mean to me."

"Woo!" Jessie whooped as she threw a fist in the air. It was the instant cure for the settling, somber mood, for everyone else started to yell their encouragements at the blond.

"Cloud, c'mon, you haven't even said a word!" Tifa laughed as she held the canvas. "Don't suddenly be a mute now!"

"This canvas is pretty heavy, so hurry up and take it," Biggs jokingly scoffed.

"You'd be an asshole not to," Barret cursed like usual.

"And a big meanie!" Wedge inputted.

Kunsel simply stood on the side as he observed the collaborative efforts of all of Cloud's friends—friends that he never thought the cold swordsman could ever find and have. Remembering their conversation on the day of Shinra's fall, the former SOLDIER shook his head with a small, knowing smile on his face.

_You've finally settled down, Cloud. Told you._

No one kept track of how long Cloud stood there, but it didn't take long after everyone's input for Cloud to finally have a reaction. The type of reaction was unexpected, and so, it threw everyone off when they saw the blond suddenly put a hand up to his face and turn away from everyone.

"Give me a moment," everyone heard him mutter, and at that instant, coos of aw's circulated the entire group of friends.

"Is Cloud Strife shedding a tear? Wait a minute, I gotta see!" Jessie giggled as she jumped over so that she could take a peek at his face. She earned a push by the shoulder instead as he avoided her.

"Stop," he murmured, but it wasn't enough to stop his friends.

"Wait, lemme see, this cannot be a missed opportunity," Barret said excitedly as he dropped his hold on the canvas and went around just so that he could cop a view too, but Cloud skillfully evaded their bombardment.

"You guys are seriously annoying," he scowled, recovering himself by discreetly wiping said tear from his eye and turning back around. He went over to the canvas, where his gloved hand ran over its edges delicately as his eyes glazed over the beautiful artwork once more in admiration.

Aerith laughed as she watched him get teased by all his friends, relief drowning her by the second to see his positive reaction and the light atmosphere returning. Her ears especially tuned in to hear his answer to her heartfelt confession after seeing her effort in the painting, but she wasn't receiving it just yet.

"Aerith, I…" Cloud trailed off as he tried to find the words to say. "I got something to show you too, which is why I came, but it seems like everyone else had different agendas." Cloud glared at all of his friends as they all grinned mischievously at the success of their operation. "And I want to show it to you first—before I say anything."

Aerith blinked, confused. "You do? Is that why you came?" She then looked questioningly at everyone, whose sly smiles never disappeared. "I thought you came here because your friends dragged you here."

"Looks like some people are playing double agent here," Cloud crossed his arms, unamused with the setup his friends put up for the two of them. "But it doesn't matter. Would you… like to come and see?"

Cloud awkwardly shifted his feet against the dirt as he considered the possibility of the Cetra actually saying no despite the happy mood that filled the air. Luckily for him, Aerith didn't plan to extend the duration of his insecurity as she nodded enthusiastically, braid waving around her back,following her excited movements.

"I'm excited, I'm excited! Lead the way, everyone!"

While Aerith's canvas was enough to patch up their fall-out and the void that grew during the week they didn't see each other, Cloud wasn't going to settle yet until he fulfilled his own part, and as the group rode the train, he hoped that his own message would be successfully delivered through everything he had prepared for her.

During the whole trip, Aerith sat on the edge of her seat, and seeing everyone else's curiosity didn't help settle her excitement. While his friends seemed to have assisted in whatever the merc had planned, they too looked unsure with what was going to happen next. The thing that threw her off the most was Kunsel's presence—there could only be one reason why he was tagging along with them.

The Cetra glanced over at Cloud, whose figure was rigid against his seat. He didn't seem to pay attention to anything, which was a rare sight since the swordsman always had his senses keen and sharp no matter what and no matter where. It had only been a week since she last saw him, but already he seemed different with the way he simply looked so…

Tired.

_What are you going to show me, Cloud?_

Her excitement was tinged with uneasiness when Cloud and the group led her and Kunsel past the outskirts of the cities and into the badlands that stretched far from the edges of Midgar. However, she didn't dare question why he was taking her here in the middle of what seemed like nowhere.

Over a couple of more mounds and hills, Aerith finally saw some wagons and crates from the distance, and when the group came closer, she saw the contents of them.

"Yellow… flowers?" Aerith wondered out loud as her eyes landed on the pots of dirt, footsteps slowing to a stop when everyone finally reached their supposed destination with tired breaths. She looked around to study the landscape, wondering why Cloud had brought everyone here to these valleys of rocks. Turning around, she overlooked the entirety of Midgar with its intricate lines of infrastructure and the familiar Shinra tower that stretched into the sky above all the other sectors.

"This all better be for something, Spikey," Barret lowly grumbled as he looked at all the stuff he and everyone else had to carry up here. "I'm not as young as I used to be; my shitty excuse of a back is killing me with all this crap we had to bring up here."

"Talk about aches," Jessie groaned as she rolled her shoulders. "I'd choose patrol over this sort of transport service any day."

"What's all this?" Aerith finally asked, but Cloud didn't answer any questions as he settled the odd box onto the ground and surveyed the area, making sure that they were at the right spot.

"Yup, this is it," everyone heard him mutter to himself as he studied the space before them.

"Um, Cloud?" Kunsel's eyes swallowed thescenery as it began to dawn on him. He was the only one who started to get an idea of what was going on. "Is this…?"

"It is," Cloud nodded, firm with his answer as he got to work and began to rummage through the contents of the box he had carried the entire time. Everyone got closer to peer over his back, wondering what had gotten him traveling between the sectors and topside so frequently during the week. Expecting something grand, Cloud's group of friends only frowned deeper when the blond took out a simple-looking projector that was small enough to be carried with only two hands.

"You've been carrying that thing as if it was your newborn baby," remarked Biggs as his eyebrow cocked up against his forehead. "What is this dingy thing? Don't tell me that's all you got in that mysterious box of yours."

"It's not 'dingy,'" Cloud quoted as he settled it down onto the ground and angled its lens towards the sky. "It might look like some piece of recyclable debris, but you don't know what kind of lengths I had to go through just to have this equipment in my hands for half a day."

"Really, now?" deadpanned Jessie, sorely not convinced with the way Cloud kept fidgeting with the tech so clumsily. "That thing looks so—"

Before Jessie could finish her phrase, a bright light projected out of the lens of the tiny machine as a large, rectangular hologram materialized in the air in front of them. With physics unknown, the blue hologram stretched across the sky with its imaging non-transparent. Everyone's mouths dropped open as they looked up at the overwhelming, holographic screen—a screen bigger than what they saw in the movie theaters.

"—ancient," Jessie finished in a half-whisper, eyes filled with awe as they witnessed the power of one of the latest, most advanced technology developed under years of research from Shinra engineers.

Any speculations that Aerith had about Cloud's plans died as she took a few steps back so that she could take in the entire screen within her field of vision. Everyone followed her lead as their heads tilted up to see what Cloud had spent so long preparing, silent as their amazement left them mute.

"Wow… it's like it's solid in the air!" Wedge exclaimed. "When it's just light!"

"They really got neat stuff up there, don't they? Things we usually don't see around in the slums," murmured Tifa as she folded her arms across her chest. "And I thought we saw most of it when were at topside."

Cloud clicked a few things on the holographic menu that popped up once he had turned on the projector, and once everything was done, he fished out the last, most important element of the whole entire thing from the box: a chip. Inserting it into a certain slot on the machine, he configured it a bit moreuntil he finally finished setting everything up.

"So, um, what you guys are about to see might be… a bit sensitive—at least, to some people," Cloud began. He glanced over at Aerith and Kunsel, who shot their eyebrows up at him in wonder. "But I believe that it's something that deserves to be seen, especially after being buried for so many years because of my cowardness, and I just…" Cloud inhaled deeply for a long three seconds before exhaling shakily, nervousness at the maximum as he felt his hands shake. "It's something I should've done a long time ago to honor… him. And I wanted to show everyone what I've gathered for the past week. It's the least I can do for him. And for you guys." A weak smile splayed at his lips as he gave a singular nod towards Aerith and Kunsel. "I hope it's okay."

"Cloud?" Aerith barely managed to whisper, voice soft as her heartbeat started to grow quicker and quicker.

Cloud pressed a button, and instantly, the blank, blue screen showed rolling footage as sound boomed across the valley from the tiny device.

The sound of a carriage rolling its wooden wheels against the gravel of of an unpaved road echoed into everyone's ears as the screen displayed the scenery before them from a first-person point of view. Smooth green hills rolled in the distance while the road passed underneath the wheels as they moved forth towards their destination. A pair of legs were outstretched in front of the person's eyes as he sat in the back of the carriage, shaking with every bump the road encountered. The lack of context was confusing; it was impossible to tell exactly what was going on.

However, Aerith was quick to catch on as she recognized the features of the film being shown.

"Is this a memory scan?" she immediately questioned, eyes wide as she listened to the realistic sounds flooding out of the projector. At the mention of the memory scan, lightbulbs lit above everyone's heads as they remembered their time topside.

"That's right, all those memories we saw topside," Tifa gasped, hand flying over to her mouth as she began to connect the dots. "They were presented like this, in this weird first-person—" she stopped talking as her eyes flew over to Cloud, who simply stood there with arms over chest and figure tense as his mako eyes watched the memory scan intently.

Knowing about his fragile mental state better than anyone else there, Aerith shook her head slowly as she began to realize what Cloud had done. "Cloud, don't tell me you—"

" _Man, isn't the sun so bright today—it's beautiful!"_

Aerith snapped her jaw shut the moment her ears heard his voice—the voice that she had longed to hear just one more time so many years ago after countless nights of wailing and despair. Her eyes couldn't open up any wider as the view shifted away from the legs and slowly over to a face—Zack's smiling face.

" _You hanging in there, Cloud?"_ His black hair danced in the wind as a light breeze blew past them, shaking the leaves of the trees that stood by the side of the trail. " _You're a fighter, aren't you? It won't be long until we reunite with my troops. Look, isn't the sky pretty? Bet you're used to see something like this every day at Nibelheim."_ His soft, black eyes had gazed deeply into Cloud's comatose-like ones, allowing the memory scan to detail so vividly everything he had seen as Zack's eyes not only looked into his, but into everyone's as Cloud's memories laid exposed to everyone like an open book. " _Real shame for those who live underneath those huge plates in Midgar. When they look up at the sky, all they see is just some metal blocking most of the view. If only they could see what the real sky looks like at least once in their life!"_

The scene switched, and now, Zack stood in the front as his hand extended out with a spoon. His worried and urgent eyes showed as clear as day in the memory scan.

" _You have to eat, Cloud, or else we aren't going to get anywhere. C'mon, you can do it. It's been only a week, and you're already starting to move again! Hey, maybe when you're all better, you can join me in SOLDIER—you definitely got the guts for it after all that mako."_ The spoon approached until it disappeared from view. After a few seconds, it reappeared again as Zack scooped some stuff out of the can so that he could continue feeding Cloud. " _We're almost there. If I'm correct, my troops should be stationed somewhere near Midgar edge. One more week and I'm sure we're gonna get there. I'll protect you, Cloud, so no worries!"_

Just when the peaceful memories began to calm everyone's initial astonishment and eased everyone into the memory scan, things took a sharp turn for the worst. The beautiful scenery of life and the wilderness was gone, only to be replaced with red, licking flames as buildings burned into nothing but black, hot ashes.

Nibelheim.

Tifa gasped loudly as she now held both her hands over her mouth, reliving that day from Cloud's view, a day she never wanted to go back to. She never wanted to see again that place where her friends and family died right before her eyes with just a couple of strokes from that sleek, silver blade.

Screams and cries rang so clearly from the projector as Cloud's view locked onto an ominous, shadowy figure whose face was barely visible despite the bright, scorching fire. With long, silver hair flowing in the hot winds and sinister green eyes glowing so intensely, the figure held the tip of his long, thin sword on the body of a girl who laid sprawled against the floor unconscious.

" _Tifa! Tifa!"_ cried the voice of a young boy. A hand came to view as it stretched towards the girl—the girl that everyone now realized was Tifa. " _Tifa!"_

"Is that you, Tifa?" Jessie croaked, fist against her chest as she struggled to take in the horrible scene and continue standing. She then looked over to Cloud, whose lips remained pursed and straight. "Cloud, you—"

" _Sephiroth! No, stop!"_

Cloud's shaky view turned over so that everyone could see Zack with Buster Sword in hand, holding it defensively against Sephiroth. The man's blade removed itself from Tifa's face, only to turn towards Zack as he pointed the Masamune at his fellow first-class SOLDIER with ease and grace.

" _Kunsel! Find any survivors you can and_ _ **leave!**_ _"_ Zack commanded as his eyes never left the silver-haired. _"Now!"_

_"But—"_

_"We cannot deal with both Shinra and Sephiroth at the same time. I'll buy time, so go! Quickly!"_

Kunsel's face scrunched up in pain as he watched the memory scan of him receiving the heartbreaking orders from not only his leader, but his best friend to leave him behind for safety.

His heart truly ached because this moment was the last time he ever saw Zack alive.

" _Yessir!"_ and Kunsel left to do what he was told.

Before anyone could see how the fight had unfolded, Cloud had lost his consciousness, and the memory scan faded into blackness. Nobody had the time to recover from the trauma of what they had just seen, for in the next second, the scene switched once more. Now, everyone saw some sort of lab room as an evil cackle rang off the walls sickeningly. An ugly face popped up, hand reaching towards Cloud as a disgusting grin stretched across his face.

" _Yes, finally! This wretched boy is finally accepting the mako! What a beautiful color, your eyes, my little dog!"_

Aerith nearly threw up when she saw that horrid man's face again, She held her hand against her stomach as she observed the way his unsightly wrinkles creased and rippled with every laugh that escaped out of that sick mouth.

The memory scan tilted in view as Cloud fell onto his side and onto the floor, eyes now seeing a chained-up Zack.

" _Now you two be nice, okay? I'll be back soon before you know it. Make sure the boy doesn't go dying on me just yet. Let out a holler if he does though! I want that data. Hahaha!"_

" _Cloud, do you hear me? You have to stay strong. Fight it, or else you'll lose yourself!"_

The memory scan began to get fuzzy as details began to become omitted and skipped, for one moment, Zack was tied to the walls, and in the next, he was helping Cloud up as alarms blared to warn of their escape. With a hole blasted into one of the walls of the lab revealing the outside, Zack carried Cloud over to the edge.

" _Hold on tight, Cloud."_ Zack's determined voice gently sounded through the speakers even though their surroundings were anything but, and without another second, the two dived into the sky and down the Shinra building towards freedom.

"Holy shit…" Biggs trailed off, eyes never removing themselves from the hologram. He shook his head in disbelief as he watched their descent down the Shinra building from heights that no normal human could withstand with just their feet. "This is crazy."

Another scene finally switched over, and this time, a daunting sense of recognition spread through everyone as they realized where it took place: the very ground where they currently stood. The same towering wall of rocks, the same barren wasteland, the same blue sky—Cloud had brought them to the exact location the memory scan showed.

Only two pairs of feet were in sight as they dragged across the rough terrain, the shuffling of their efforts being the only sounds against the vast land that stretched far out in front of them. The memory bobbed as Cloud's head lolled with each step as the two marched onward.

" _We're almost there, Cloud. Almost there,_ " Zack huffed as he dragged the fourteen-year-old boy along. " _I can see it. If my sources are correct, my troops should be—"_

Zack halted abruptly in the middle of his sentence, and the footage shook violently as the first-class SOLDIER roughly shoved Cloud over to the side in order to hide behind a couple of boulders. The point-of-view was sideways until Zack straightened the boy up again against the wall of rocks from behind, eyes alert as his face turned towards the direction of something in the distance—something Cloud could not see from his view.

" _Just my luck, huh?_ " Zack could be heard chuckling darkly as he surveyed the area beyond the rocks. He shook his head slowly and solemnly to himself before a small, bitter smile stretched across his face. " _And we were so close too._ "

Zack fully turned back around so that he could face Cloud, who had stared at him blankly as the SOLDIER gazed at him warmly. His hand stretched out as he ruffled the blond's head with affection, eyes soft as his smile never wavered.

" _You… stay here, alright, Cloud? I got some business to take care of. And whatever you do, don't come out from here, okay? Stay here!"_ Zack unstrapped the Buster Sword from his back as he held it tightly in his grasp, grip firm as he nodded to himself one more time. " _I'll… see you later."_

A moment later, and all Cloud heard were gunshots.

Kunsel had to look away from the footage as he discreetly wiped some tears away, unable to handle seeing the death of his friend like this. Cloud had already informed him of Zack's fate many years ago when he first joined SOLDIER, but to witness it through this memory scan instantly drowned his heart with sorrow for a second time—a sorrow that pierced deeper than the first.

Tifa had to hold onto Aerith's shoulders when she wobbled a bit, hand over her mouth tightly as she cried silent tears over the gunshots that now echoed all throughout the valley, replicating what was heard on that very same day. She had always wondered how he had died, how he had fallen, and what he had done to protect everyone he loved, but she never thought it would be like this. To stand alone against the hundreds of bullets that punched through him, only to die in a place where no one ever walked.

Cloud's eyes never left the images of the memory scan as he watched it a second time, fingers nearly cutting off the blood flow in his arms as he grasped onto himself tightly in remembrance.

The memory scan became silent and then black. Just when everyone thought it was over so that they could finally take a breather, a voice continued to bleed through the projector as the hologram remained imageless.

" _Cloud, I'm not going to make it. You… need to get out of here. Before they do another search. My comrades, they're still out there—fighting. Find them, they'll—" cough, "—they'll help you out."_

Some shuffling against the ground was heard before Zack continued to speak.

" _My honor… my dreams… they're yours now. You're going to be alright… go. Go to the others."_

Finally, Zack delivered his last words.

" _Oh, and do you mind… saying hi to her for me? And that… I got her eighty-ninth letter. That'd be great._ "

And then the memory scan ended.

"Zack," gasped Aerith, hand clutched against her chest painfully as she sank onto the ground. Tifa followed her descent as she rubbed the girl's shoulders , trying to comfort her through her loud sobs. The raven-haired girl threatened to join the Cetra in her weeping as she too basked in the fact that on that day, Zack had saved her life before Sephiroth had the time to strike her down to join the ruins of her village.

"You're going to be okay, Aerith," Tifa assured, lips quivering slightly. "We're here for you."

"Cloud…" Barret trailed as he watched the blond sigh at the black hologram. If Cloud looked tired before, then he looked almost lifeless now as he shook his head lightly and went over to Aerith, who immediately shot her eyes up to look at him.

"Cloud, how—how did you get this?" She gently removed herself from Tifa's grasp and rose, holding her hands out to take Cloud's. He willingly stretched his hands out so that she could grasp onto them tightly. "You couldn't have, not with your—"

"That's why I look like I just went to hell and back," Cloud muttered with an odd laugh as he let out another lengthy sigh. "Genesis was not happy dealing with me, but we got it done. And that's all that matters, right?"

Aerith shook her head defiantly, still not okay with the idea of what Cloud had to go through to get such a memory scan. "You didn't have to do this, not at the expense of your—"

"I… am the only one who knew what happened to Zack," interrupted Cloud, bitterness laced with every word he said. "Yet I… never shared what had happened and only kept it to myself—because I was scared. I was too scared and too guilty to accept my past for what it was, and I even tried to bury it by just forgetting it all. I didn't want to revisit, but I realized that… doing that would just be a huge disrespect towards Zack and towards the people he loved and cared for, so…" Cloud gestured towards the holographic screen, a small smile playing at his lips. "After our, uh, yeah, I decided to finally honor him the right way. Not just by carrying around his sword and a nameless legacy. To let everyone know what had happened to him—that's why I brought everyone here today and to show you that I…" Cloud cleared some of Aerith's hair from away her face and behind her ear, a small smile on his lips, "I have also moved on. And that I'll accept any sort of past that you may have, just like you already did for me, so, uh, don't feel guilty or anything."

Cloud ended his little speech lamely as he grimaced, realizing himself how he ended none of it mattered when Aerith suddenly burst out laughing as she threw her arms around Cloud, tears still wet on her face as she pulled him over for a tight hug.

"Thank you, Cloud. Thank you for going through all of that just for this. It means so much to me. It really does—so much."

Her laughing quickly returned back to sobbing. Cloud hung his arms around her tightly, letting her tears fall into his shoulder as she took the time to finally remember Zack the way she was supposed to after all these years, to finally know the truth of what had happened and to accept it wholeheartedly.

Everyone stood by the side as they watched the two embrace, happy to see them reconcile, but also in sadness as their hearts weighed heavy in their chest as they realized that there were so many people like Zack who had died just for the sake of their freedom.

"I'm sorry that I burst out the way I did that night without even trying to understand," Cloud finally apologized as he relished the feeling of having her close again. "I should've talked it out with you and everything. And I shouldn't have—"

"Cloud, enough," Aerith shook her head as she pulled back. The smile that he had fallen in love with shined so brightly as her green orbs gazed at him fondly. "This is enough—more than enough. I'll never forget this. Ever. Thank you, Cloud, thank you."

Aerith laughed again as she fully pulled away from Cloud and wiped her tears with the back of her hand. "I look like a mess right now, don't I? I'm just crying my butt off."

"No, you deserve it, girl," Jessie assured. The brunette also managed to let out a sniff as she rubbed underneath her nose with a finger, her own emotions getting the best of her as she nodded. "Crying is for the strong. Just let it all out."

"Yeah. And I'm sorry for not being able to get a clearer scan for the end," Cloud helped Aerith stand back up as he held onto her hands, "It was… hard for me to fully visualize it, but at least I got the sound and everything."

"Stop it, Cloud. How many times do I have to say that this is more than enough?"

"Sorry to interrupt," Biggs popped up, smile sheepish as he felt bad for interrupting such a tender moment, "But we're still a bit lost, and it seems that only Kunsel and Aerith know what kind of stuff went down for him to get this sort of scan. Is that why you look like you just someone dug you out of a grave?

Cloud rubbed the back of his head as his friends looked at him imploringly. He then proceeded to explain what kind of things he had to go through to get the memory scan.

~Four days ago~

_"This is it."_

_Cloud walked into the room with a bit of apprehension. It was dimly lit with only the light from the large screens as a source of illumination. It took a few seconds for his eyes to adjust as he studied the tech-filled room, having not seen any of it since the last time he ventured topside four years ago. Having a newer sense of awe with all of the technological advancements, Cloud saw a stark contrast between life in the slums and in the better sides of Midgar._

_"No one operates this room?" Cloud noted as he saw things running, but no people to man it. Only a lone person in front of one of the screens went at it with his work as he typed a few things on the large control panel._

_Genesis laughed as he pushed in a few chairs left untucked underneath the tables. "We don't use it often since it's only for really important stuff, like memory digging for outrageous crimes or something like that. People are not too keen with this sort of technology—violates their rights of privacy and all that sort of boring stuff. And it's not a toy either; the power to generate the thing is way too large, so no one gets to walk in just to get some footage for fun."_

_"Sorry," Cloud winced at the way he indirectly jabbed at him for this favor. He could feel the fear Genesis could instill in people if he tried, the very same fear which had made him the commander of the SOLDIER revolt._

_"Cloud Strife doesn't walk in for fun—that I know," assured Genesis, but that didn't really make Cloud feel any better. "Plus, if you say it's important, then it's important. But I got to let you know one thing though."_

_"What is it?"_

_"When we run this baby on you," Genesis led Cloud over to the place where he was going to lay for the memory scan. On it was some sort of helmet scanner, something the blond figured would be put on his head during the scan. "When we run it on you, we're going to have to monitor what kind of things are going through it."_

_"So, you're going to see my memories," Cloud finished for him, getting a bit irritated with the way Genesis kept beating around the bush with his statements._

_"Straight to the point as usual, aren't you?" he smirked. "Exactly. And it's more so that we can monitor how things are and see what kind of problems we're going to deal with. Derek over here," Genesis pointed a thumb over to the lone figure who was fiddling with the control panel as he set things up, "is going to extract as much as he can, so whatever you want to try to remember, we'll pinpoint it and amplify it as much as possible to form some of the footage. Got it?"_

_"Got it," Cloud replied dryly as he sat on the hard bedside._

_"… You sure you're going to be okay?" Genesis voiced his concern one last time. He sighed as he tapped a finger incessantly against his leg, a habit of his whenever he was unsure about a situation. "This machine isn't a joke. It goes deep in, and if there's any resistance, it can really mess you up. That mako poisoning of yours—it's not sitting with me well right now."_

_"It hasn't been 'sitting' with me for nine years," Cloud joked darkly as he grabbed onto the helmet and toyed with it a bit in his hands. "But I gotta move on somehow, right?"_

_"You can't force it."_

_"You won't know if you don't."_

_"… Annoying brat. Don't blame me if your mind gets all fucked," Genesis guffawed as he shook his head and went over to Derek. "Let's get started, shall we? Put that thing on your head, think of what you want to remember, and we'll take it from there."_

_"Sounds easy enough," Cloud muttered before he laid down and put the helmet over his head._

_When the thing turned on, Cloud took it as a signal to start thinking about what he wanted to bring to life again. The first thing he thought of, of course, was Zack, and all the things he could remember about him within the short time they had together. It was harder than he thought, however, because of all the mako overloading his body to a near comatose state at the time._

_That wasn't a problem for the machine._

_"We're getting a weak signal, but it's stronger than the rest. Shall we amplify it?" Derek asked as he rapidly tapped a bunch of things on the holograms that began to pop up by his side. "It seems like he can't get a clear image, but we can begin a deep dive into his subconscious."_

_Genesis looked warily over Cloud, worried for his being, but because this was what he wanted, the redhead gave Derek the go._

_"Pump it up."_

_On one of the screens, images started to from as pixels began to fill the void. Peering into it, Genesis quietly gasped when he started to recognize what Cloud was trying so hard to remember._

_"… Zack?"_

_Cloud immediately screamed, body twisting and turning as his hands naturally flew up to his head to grasp it. His howls of pain could be heard from the outside as his screeches thundered throughout the room, intensifying as the memory scan reached deeper and deeper into his mind._

_"You said this guy had mako poisoning, right?" Derek muttered as he adjusted the settings of the memory scanner. "The trauma is interfering with the reading. Reading memories that are mako-influenced aren't good for the head, and he knew?"_

_"He's a stubborn kid," Genesis growled as his eyes remained glued to the screen._

_If Cloud never felt body-ripping pain before, then he did now as his entire being convulsed violently in an attempt to withstand the intense agony his whole body experienced under the memory scan. Mako-induced headaches had always been mind-splitting affairs but never in his life had he ever felt this feeling before—the feeling of his entire mind unfolded and forced to straighten out by a clothes iron. Memories that he had kept locked up for so long began to get wrenched free from the recesses as they flooded his consciousness, overloading his brain as his unearthly screams bounced off every corner of the room._

_He remembered his time in Hojo's lab, his escape with Zack, that fateful night where the ones he loved were killed an instant, the flames of his precious hometown, his comrades dying left and right, Zack's death—everything drowned him at once as he felt his shallow reserves of air get punched out of his lungs. Usually, these sequences came in a swarm of overwhelming memories, but at least there was a sequence. He didn't know how the memory scan was doing it, but everything hit at the same time, rendering him completely vulnerable to the typical side effects of mako._

_With intense pain came intense relief. So when the memory scan was stopped, Cloud finally pulled himself together enough to rip the helmet off his head, panting forcefully as he settled back into reality._

_"I told you," came Genesis's knowing voice as he approached the blond. "I told you it won't work with the kind of mental state you have going on for you right now. Let's stop here before your mind gets completely shattered."_

_"Fuck," Cloud cursed as his hands shakily held the helmet within their grasps. He wasn't going to lie; he did not want to continue the scan. The pain and the feeling of just being exposed was too much to bear and too much to experience willingly again. The adrenaline still rushed through his blood as the mako in his eyes shined brighter than before—a typical sign of the active mako in a person's body. Knowing this, Genesis shook his head, urging the blond to just give it up._

_"Since I had to, I saw what you were trying to conjure up. Are you trying to make a memento about Zack or something?" The redhead's tone of voice became soft; he knew about Cloud's history with Nibelheim and Zack from Kunsel, but never did he ever try to ask questions about it. The boy was young at the time, and with the war raging on, there was never any time for anyone to go down memory lane. "It's something a lot of people would appreciate, but kiddo, you don't have to do it. It's literally wrecking you."_

_"It's fine," grunted Cloud, but he didn't look it as the weariness from such a short experience began to show on his face. "Continue. You saw it—that means it's working."_

_"Cloud," Genesis snarled. He was not intent on humoring this stubborn boy any longer. "Now that I see what you're trying to do, I understand that it's important, but I'm not going to watch one of my juniors get his mind destroyed just because he was trying to force it. Mako is serious business even though all SOLDIERs were exposed to it at some point. But you…" the former commander narrowed his eyes at the blond when he failed to react. "You practically swam in it. The mako is integrated into your system more than you know, so any more disturbances to it, and you'll be out in a flash. Do you understand?"_

_"… It was my mistake the first time."_

_"Mistake?"_

_"Do it again," Cloud requested. "If it's coming out, then I'll do it again."_

_"You little piece of—"_

_"If I can't even_ _**think** _ _about the past, how am I supposed to move on and live with this fucking stupid mako?"_

_Genesis snapped his jaw shut. If the blond had ever spoken like this to him back in the day, he would've whipped him good. But now that those times had passed, he had enough patience to hear what reasons the younger boy had._

_"Like I said, you can't force it. That's not how it works. I'm sure that Cetra already told you before already about how it all works too."_

_"The Cetra?" Cloud instantly became guarded. His eyes reverted back to their usual sharpness as he stared at Genesis._

_Knowing why he suddenly got defensive, the redhead laughed obnoxiously one more time as he shook his head mockingly. "You think I didn't spot her with you at topside? I won't ever forget a beautiful face like hers, nor the blood that runs through her veins, and all those years that disgusting bastard kept monitoring our physique just so that he could have his Ancient babies. No need to get all cautious."_

_Remembering how Aerith once told him how she knew every one of the top-class SOLDIERs back during Shinra's reign, Cloud relaxed. But he was still uneasy because of how the former commander brought her up into the conversation._

_He was doing all this mainly for her too._

_Genesis saw the conflict raging in his eyes and groaned a bit before he licked his lips and sighed. "You're not going to give up, are you?"_

_"… I can't. Not when I have things to do."_ Things to finally forgive.

Himself.

_"Guess I can't convince you otherwise anymore. Here, we'll run the memory scan again, but listen; I'm gonna give you some advice."_

_"Advice?"_

_Genesis clapped Cloud on the shoulder and he shook him a bit roughly. Cloud took the treatment anyway as his ears tuned in to see what the redhead had to say._

_"You have to set yourself free. You have to accept the feeling of the memory scan, because if you fight it, not only will the analysis get all messed up, but so will your consciousness. It's going to go in deep, it's going to go where you don't like it, but you have to look past all that and feel yourself, mako or no mako. It's all about comfort; comfort with both the memory scan and your memories."_

_"Sounds like you're experienced."_

_"I don't know how you got friends, kiddo," Genesis growled, but quickly chuckled as he swiveled around, coat flapping, to head back over to Derek. "But who do you take me for? I'm one of the founders of the rebellion—you don't think I haven't seen stuff in my life? Trust me, kiddo—I've seen far worse and done far worse than you."_

_"…"_

_"Derek, let's have another go, shall we? And if he starts screaming again, just keep going because the kid's asking for it."_

_Cloud looked at the helmet one more time before he mustered all the willpower in his body and placed it over his head again._

_"Let myself free, huh?" he muttered to himself as he laid back down. "Set myself free…"_

_The memory scan started up again, pulling him back into the torturous process that laid his life so simply and flatly against the table. Groans escaped his lips as the fragments of his memories began getting sorted and materialized, getting brighter and clearer than ever before as the machine amplified it. The urge to rip the helmet off again flooded his senses, but he kept it down—he had to._

_For him, for her, and for everyone who loved and cared for the fallen SOLDIER._

_"Better?" Genesis asked Derek as he watched the technician fumble around once more with the settings._

_"Better," he replied. "Less resistance. Still a little hard, but if he's willing to deal with the repercussions of it, then we'll still get some clear footage."_

_"Alright."_

_The redhead turned his eyes back towards the blond, who squirmed where he laid as the memory scan did its magic. Genesis merely sighed again._

_"Good to see you alive and well, kiddo. Stubborn as always, eh?"_

~.~.~

"Oh gosh, Cloud…" Tifa came up to get a closer look at Cloud, finally seeing how fatigued he looked as he stepped away from her observant eyes. "I didn't notice before, but it looks like you really _did_ come back from the dead."

"Alright, let's stop rubbing it in my face, okay?" he replied irritatingly. "Hope you guys enjoyed the show at the expense of my sanity

"Cloud," Kunsel stepped up, finally speaking his first word ever since he began watching the memory scan. "You didn't need to put yourself through that at all—just saying it would have been enough…" He stepped up to place his hand on his shoulder, "Seriously, thank you. Like what Aerith said, this means so much. You've really outdone yourself with this. I'm sure others won't be able to thank you enough either once they watch this. It really does give… closure."

Cloud blinked when Kunsel gave him a one-armed hug, not used to receiving this type of treatment from other men, and awkwardly returned it by gently patting the back of his shoulder. All of his friends kept their snickers in as they watched the uncomfortable blond return his friend's embrace.

"Alright! I think I've recovered myself too," Aerith declared when the two pulled away. She scanned her surroundings and noticed the potted plants. "Since the show is over, shall we all head back? I'm feeling for some tea and cake; anyone care to join? I know _just_ the place. And what's with all these flowers here?"

"Wait, I'm not done," Cloud blurted out, stopping Aerith in her tracks. She watched as he jogged back over to the projector and fiddled with it. Taking out another chip out the box, Cloud ejected the current one in the slot and inserted the other. Everyone watched in curiosity as the projector started up again with its blank, blue screen.

"You have another? What's this?" asked Aerith.

Cloud came back to his friends before he awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.

"The next few things you're going to see is mainly for you, so um," the swordsman looked at his friends uncomfortably. At first, no one understand why he glanced at them like that, but when the smallest hints of red tinged his cheeks, Jessie guffawed.

"I see how it is! What, you want us to turn our backs around? We'll do that just for you, honey," she teased sickeningly-sweetly as she mockingly turned her heels and faced away from the memory scan. "Will this do?"

"Forget it—watch all you want," grumbled Cloud. The second memory scan began rolling, piquing Aerith's interest.

"What else do you have for m—"

" _Kunsel, you're one of Zack's close friends, right?"_

Once again, the memory scan entranced everyone into silence as the face of Kunsel popped up against the familiar lab walls they had seen before in the previous scan; it was the day Shinra was finally defeated.

" _Why, yes."_

_"Do you happen to know who Zack's… lover is?"_

Aerith's lips parted as she began to feel where the memory scan was heading, tears already pricking her eyes again as she listened to Cloud's cold, yet soft, broken voice—a voice she never knew of and wish she had known sooner.

" _Uh, no, I don't_ ," Kunsel had lied, _"but why?"_

" _I'm going to find her. And deliver his last words to her._ "

The scene changed as many different areas were shown. From snowy mountains to dry deserts, to bustling marketplaces to near-ruined villages—the memory scan began to show all the travels that he embarked on after Shinra's defeat as he trudged determinedly in search for Aerith. Some scenes showed him laying in a nice inn with a bed, and others showed the rock-hard floors as he camped in some random cave. Parts of the Planet that his friends never had never seen before made their appearance, enlightening them to how large this world truly was outside of the slums. And all through Cloud Strife's eyes.

" _Become a mercenary. You said you needed connections to find what you're looking for? Then please, consider being a mercenary. It's better than just wandering around the Planet blindly. Build connections to make what you're seeking for more visible."_

Tifa's voice rang as the footage switched over to the familiar setting of 7th Heaven as Cloud sat at the counter with drink in his hand. The raven-haired girl's warm and kind gaze looked right into him as she harbored a small smirk on her mouth.

" _Hey, Cloud. I know you probably thought about actually settling down at some point, so… I have a job for you."_

" _Settle down? What is it?"_

" _How do you feel about bodyguarding?"_

"… _Excuse me?"_

At this, nearly everyone laughed at how typical the stoic's response was, and it was more humorous with the way the projector captured it so perfectly and everything.

" _It's really good pay. Higher than the usual. And it's a long-term job too."_

_"Not digging the idea of following some girl around."_

Aerith threw an accusatory look towards Cloud's way, earning a meek attempt of a smile back from him. Nonetheless, she giggled happily as the memory scan came to an end.

" _Loosen up a bit. I'm sure you'll enjoy this job; I heard she's quite a nice girl. You won't be babysitting. I promise."_

_"…"_

Finally, the montage came to an end, but not without one more special moment that changed his life forever.

" _Hello, how may I help you?"_

There she was, so cheerful and full of mirth as she stood on that bridge with her flowers surrounding her like a bouquet and with her house magnificently towering behind her. With hands behind her back and eyes staring straight into Cloud's, Cloud and Aerith's first meeting was documented in this memory scan. Her smile, her kindness; they were the first things he ever saw, and this moment was going to stay in his heart forever, never to leave.

When the hologram went black, Cloud went up to her, hands reaching out for hers as she continued laughing.

"What are you, a romantic?" she giggled, but a few tears still slipped down her face as she took one of her hands and wiped them away. "Cloud…"

"Even though it happened in a really round-about way, I finally found you," Cloud declared. A real smile graced his lips as he too felt the emotions that brought him to this very place—to allow him to stand in front of her like this. "I didn't think becoming a merc would ever lead me to you, but I guess I should start following other people's advice more often if it leads to things like this.

Tifa crossed her arms by the side as she watched the two with soft eyes.

"I didn't know you became a merc for me," Aerith said, astonished. "You looked like such a businessman… who knew you would have such a selfless motivation?"

"Gee, thanks," he rolled his eyes, but he nonetheless brought a hand up so that he could rearrange the hair framing her face more neatly. "But there's the truth. Aerith."

"Yes?"

"I'm glad I met you," he confessed, and even though they were such simple words, they didn't fail to spring up more tears from her eyes as if there hadn't been enough already. "Meeting you like this with our shared, messy historieswas unexpected, but if I had the chance to meet you again like this, I wouldn't hesitate. Thank you for just barging into my life like this and turning my whole world upside-down, but without all the shit you give me, I don't think I would be here with you today. With everyone. Today, my journey ends."

"Journey?"

Cloud grabbed both of her hands and held them tightly, eyes gazing calmly into hers as he relayed the message he had waited nine years to finally deliver.

"Aerith. Zack told me to say hi. And that he got your eighty-ninth letter."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So like, sorry if Cloud was OOC in this chapter, but we've made it this far, and if our boy doesn't have any character development, then it would be such a shame! XD


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, guys, it's been a hot month! On with the last chapter of this story (more to say at the end).

"Aerith, can you stop crying already?"

"Seriously, Cloud? You hit me with so much and now you're telling me to shut up? _Wow."_

Everyone laughed as Cloud reluctantly gave Aerith his shoulder to wipe her tears on before she continued to dig up some dirt with the hand shovel. All the wagons and crates filled with pots of yellow flowers, bags of fertilizers, and collections of gardening tools that Cloud's group of friends had hauled all the way over to the edge of Midgar were finally put to use as everyone pitched in to plant a large flower bed to mark Zack's grave. Everyone was initially surprised that _the_ Cloud Strife was able to come up with such a pretty idea to honor the fallen SOLDIER and his resting place, but none of them hesitated to join his endeavor as they squatted on the bare wasteland and equipped themselves with gloves and shovels underneath the harsh sun rays.

As she dug up the barren dirt of the canyon beside Cloud, Aerith would occasionally giggle as she cuddled against his shoulder, interrupting his work. He didn't question it after the first, second, or third time. However, when she buried her face into her shoulder again for the seventh, he _had_ to question her—he couldn't endure anymore of his friends' suggestive smiles and wiggling eyebrows.

"What's up with you?" he finally asked when she removed herself and began to take out the yellow flower out of its pot. "You're acting kind of funny; did you eat something weird this morning?"

"You think I'm acting funny?" Aerith hummed as she patted the dirt happily with two hands. "What makes you say that?"

Knowing full well that she was just teasing him at this point, Cloud simply rolled his eyes before remaining silent, not wanting to encourage her to do anything embarrassing in front of his friends. However, it didn't matter what he said; Aerith had a completely different agenda on hand. Dropping her shovel onto the ground, she finally released all her contained affections for her lover as she laughed joyously and wrapped her arms around his neck from the side, making him fall backwards onto the ground as the two tumbled away in a puff of dust.

"How many times do I have to say it—get a room!" Jessie jokingly booed as Cloud struggled to get Aerith to sit up with him.

"After rejecting all my suggestions to garden, you're finally planting flowers with me!" Aerith laughed excitedly as she rubbed the side of her face against Cloud's. "I knew you had the gardening spirit within you, but I didn't think this day would ever come!"

"Watch me drop the shovel right now," muttered Cloud as he grudgingly allowed the public display of affection. The frown on his face paired with Aerith's enthusiasm was enough of a contrast to get everyone's spirits up.

"I don't get what you see in him," Barret snorted as Aerith removed herself from Cloud and returned to her work. "Even now, he seems like the most unromantic asshole in Midgar—no, on this _Planet._ "

"He's actually sweet when he wants to be, right, Cloud?" Aerith elbowed his side, prodding him for an answer as he focused on the task at hand. "But you _really_ have to fish it out of him, the romantic side. It's not free!"

"I think it's already romantic enough for Cloud Strife to just allow his girl to talk about him like this," Biggs smirked as he observed the way the blond refused to take any part in their conversation. "Don't bug him too much or else he might start spitting fire."

To say that Kunsel was amused would've be an understatement—he was completely entertained as he watched the dynamic between Cloud and his friends. The Cloud he saw before his eyes was completely differen: entirely reformed. Being able to see his change from a weak, frail boy whose skinny arms couldn't even lift the Buster Sword to a man whose ruthless eyes saw nothing but revenge had pained Kunsel; the responsibilities which Cloud had held himself accountable for were, at the time, too much for such a young man his age. To finally see Cloud be who he was supposed to be as a twenty-three-year-old, from bantering with his friends to finally finding a permanent home filled with loved ones, filled Kunsel's heart with a joy he hadn't experienced ever since Cloud was relieved from his duties as Zack's successor. As he planted the yellow lily into the very grounds where his best friend last took his breath, Kunsel smiled sadly.

_Zack… I hope you're able to see all this from the Lifestream—this happiness._

"Cloud!"

Everyone turned their attention towards Tifa as she held onto her stomach and laughed her heart out at the sight of Cloud accidentally snapping a flower at its stem. He cradled the loosely-connected blossom with apologetic eyes as he tried to somehow fix it, only for the poor thing to droop and remain bent—the damage had been done. "C'mon, let's be a little bit more careful handling these things!"

"Sorry," he muttered as he ended the flower's misery and snapped the rest of it off from its friends. He twirled the singular flower between his fingers as he looked at its velvety, yellow petals, admiring its beauty for a bit. The him before wouldn't have even batted an eyelash at nature, let alone a single plant that could easily get crushed beneath the soles of his feet. To see himself now as he held the yellow lily so delicately urged him to think about when he had changed—when he started to care.

But he didn't even need to think—the answer was simple.

With ease, he slipped the flower into Aerith's hair, surprising her as her hand flew up to her head to feel it. Then, she smiled.

"Thanks, do I look pretty with it?" Aerith giggled as she tilted her head at him. Cloud simply shrugged as he transferred the flowers from the pot into the hole more carefully.

"With or without, it doesn't matter," he vaguely answered her, too embarrassed to tell her how naturally pretty she was in front of everyone. Much to his relief, they had had enough fun picking on him as they kept their teasing thoughts to themselves.

It was nearing sunset when everyone finally finished planting all the yellow flowers within the wagons and crates. The scorching sun had finally cooled as light breezes blew gently past them, drying the last of their sweat. They took a few steps back to gaze upon their hard work. With their bright green and yellow colors, the flowers graced the lifeless land surrounding them with their vibrance and vitality, defying the surrounding wasteland.

"Wow, it's so pretty!" Tifa gasped as she saw the product of their collective efforts. "We did a pretty good job despite being amateur gardeners."

"It's because we have a pro here!" Wedge exclaimed as he happily pointed two fingers at Aerith. In response, Aerith smiled happily as she shook her head.

"We all did this together. It's really beautiful," remarked Aerith. Everyone watched as the Cetra flattened her dress a little bit beforegently kneeling in front of the flower bed. Clasping her hands together in familiar prayer, she closed her eyes as she let out a soft hum underneath her breath, eyes closed as she worked her Cetra magic.

"What are they saying?" asked Cloud, being the only one who knew what she was doing. He hesitantly placed a knee on the ground as well as he kneeled next to her, wondering what kinds of things these flowers could say. Everyone else gathered around, curious to know about the fabled language of flowers as Aerith opened her eyes and let down her hands.

"They're really happy," she delivered. She looked up at the skyas the billows of clouds gently floated across its ocean, soft and gentle like the wind that danced with the flowers before them. "It's a new place for them, but I have no worries; they're strong little fellas after all. I'm sure they're going stay here for a really long time."

"We'll make frequent checks! No worries," Tifa grinned as she squatted and gently felt a petal with a finger. "After planting them, we wouldn't want to neglect them. It'd be a shame if they wilted after all our hard work."

"Let's commemorate this day by taking a picture, how 'bout it? C'mon!" Wedge suggested cheerfully as he tookhis phone out of his pocket. Being naturally camera shy, Cloud would have stepped out if not for Tifa and Aerith holding onto both his shoulders.

"Wait a minute—and where do you think you're going, Mr. Merc?" Tifa asked with a raised eyebrow as she assisted Aerith in keeping the swordsman in place. Aerith was more than happy to play along as she looped an arm around Cloud's elbow and tugged him back into the circle of friends. A small, teasing smile played on her lips.

"Mr. Bodyguard, you can't leave just yet; the main star of the show _has_ to be part of the picture!"

"What show?"

Not amused by how the two girls were restraining him, he shrugged the both of them off as he reluctantly detached the sword off his back for space. Seeing how there was no way out of this with the way all of his friends were just staring him down, he succumbed to the pressure as he dug the Buster Sword into the dirt to stand next to the flower bed. Making their way behind the flowers, everyone positioned themselves in a line as Wedge stacked a few crates up together so that he could prop up his phone.

"I'll put it on a five-second counter. Make some room for me!" he hollered. "Ready?"

"We're good!" Biggs gave him the thumbs up.

And so, as the sun shined its last rays across the reddening sky everyone trained their eyes onto the camera as they stood behind the patch of newly-planted flowers, Buster Sword tall and rigid, gleaming in all its faded glory.

And if all of them had tried hard enough, they could've felt another presence with them, standing right by their side with smile wide on his face as the camera snapped a memory of this moment—a moment that none of them would ever forget in their lifetime.

"Alright, are we done now?" Aerith asked as she twirled around in her dress. The sun had finally set behind the mountains; only the light of dusk illuminated the area around them as the moon began to rise. "I swear, if you guys have any more surprises for me, I think I'm really going to have a heart attack!"

"… Let's not have a heart attack then," and without further warning, Cloud pulled out one more thing from the crates to finalize their day: fireworks.

"Cloud, you've really outdone yourself today!" Jessie exclaimed in surprise as she went over to his side and peeked into the crate full of fireworks. "I haven't played with these in ages!"

Curious and excited, Aerith came over as well to see her last surprise, eyes wide as she saw all the sparklers, crackers, and ground spinners—things Elmyra never allowed her to play with back when she was younger. The only thing she could say to voice her shock was, "Why?"

"… Do you remember my second day on the job?" Cloud began to explain as he rummaged through the crates and sorted out all the types of fireworks. Then, he took out a plastic bag of sparklers. "And how we saw a few kids playing with them?"

Aerith took a moment to go back in time to figure out what he was talking about before she nodded. "That's so long ago, though!"

"But I never forgot." Cloud stretched out his hand to give her one of the sparklers, which she took graciously as she peered into his deep, mako eyes. "I never forgot how much you wanted to play with them. Since you never had the chance to before, so… here you go."

Still unable to handle her emotions , Aerith looked at the sparkler in her hands before she brought her arms forth and wrapped them around Cloud's midsection, engulfing him in a proper hug this time as she bounced in suppressed excitement.

"Ooo, Cloud, thank you, thank you! Let's play with them together! What if I burn them all at once—will that make it bigger and prettier?"

"Don't you dare light them all at once," Cloud shut her down instantly as he hugged her back with one arm on her shoulders while the other held the bag of sparklers out of her reach. No one jumped in to help; they merely watched the cute scene in front of them as Aerith let him go and instantly went over to rummage through the small crate for lighters and matches.

"You're surprisingly doting. This many fireworks are really rare."

Tifa appeared by his side as she stuck a hand into the bag and took out a few sparklers. Cloud shot her a quizzical look when he saw six in her hand, but he dare question it; he had faith in Tifa to be smart.

"Topside has a lot of things," Cloud explained simply as they watched everyone go through the crate. Barret had already begun a fiasco as he lit up three ground spinners whose sparkling explosions echoed across the valley "This one was unplanned; I just saw a stand filled with them and decided to make someone's day."

"No wonder," chuckled Tifa. "You really had something planned for the whole day—didn't you think about the possibility of failing?"

"I think I'd explore the Planet again if I failed," he scoffed jokingly yet darkly, but it was a good question. He wasn't too sure what he would have done if Aerith had decided to just call it and rethink her decision to be with him. After investing so much time and energy in getting everything set up—especially the memory scan—he'd probably take a lot of time digesting the failure before even doing anything else.

"Well, you didn't—you can relax easy now!" Tifa rubbed her forehead with her fingers as she gave him a knowing look. "Erase that frown off your face already. Go light some fireworks with Aerith; it seems like she's having some trouble."

Looking over to see what Tifa was talking about, he tried not to laugh when Aerith kept failing to light up the match. Not wanting her to burn herself, Cloud nodded. However, before he left, he made sure to say one last thing to Tifa.

"Really, thanks for today," he said. "Without you, I'm not sure if things would've been as smooth as they were today. You were the main person helping both me and Aerith. It'd take forever for the rest of the gang to actually do something on their own, so really—thanks."

Tifa softly smiled at him as she shook her head. "You got everyone else to thank too. They didn't hesitate to pitch in, so it really wasn't all me."

"Still." Cloud hesitantly placed a hand on her shoulder appreciatively, something Tifa tried her best not to return with a hug. He managed a microscopic smile before he left to tend to Aerith, leaving Tifa to stare at his back momentarily before she sighed.

"Maybe Jessie can help set up blind dates for me."

She went over to join Barret's fiasco with the rest of the crew.

"Man, I forgot how loud these things really can be!" Wedge yelled over all the noise. He jumped in surprise and ran away when one of the fireworks popped out of control a little bit before settling back down onto the ground, causing everyone to erupt in laughter.

"Let's not get your ass burned like that one time!" warned Biggs. He didn't make the situation better when he tossed in another lit firework. Kunsel, who wasn't too used to Cloud's friends just yet, had to swallow a lot as he witnessed the wildness before his eyes. But it didn't take him long to get used to it as he joined in on everyone's laughter.

"I don't want to inspect your ass again, Wedge!" Jessie joined Biggs as they recounted that one time where Wedge accidentally fell into a pile of heated coal during one of their camping trips. "I don't want to hear anymore whining about your ass!"

"Stop mentioning my ass like that! You guys are the worst!"

Tifa and Barret chortled as the jokes about Wedge's bottom circulated. Once the ground spinners and crackers ran out, everyone came back to the sparklers to finish the rest of them. From taking pictures to forming letters with the sparklers, everyone's cheers of fun and delight reverberated across the land around them as the flames shined wildly but beautifully.

"Hey, the two of them should join us," Wedge pointed out as he saw Aerith and Cloud squatting over a certain area. They were detached from everyone as they held their heads together, watching the sparklers in their own hands gently streaming their light onto the ground. Without any awareness, Wedge would have called out to the two of them if not for Biggs tugging him back by the elbow.

"Let's not third-wheel, alright?" Biggs smirked before he shook his head and pushed Wedge away, confusing him greatly.

By the edge of one of the cliffs, Cloud and Aerith each held a sparkler in between their fingers as they pointed them downward. Most of the sparklers' initial activity was gone. Now they dimly glowed as their last remaining life spilled onto the ground and bounced off to become microscopic ashes.

"So pretty," Aerith murmured. "Can't believe Elmyra kept me away from these things just because they were dangerous."

"With the way you were handling them earlier, I wouldn't blame her," Cloud interjected as he chuckled a bit. "I would keep them away from you too."

Aerith jokingly shoved his side with her shoulder, nearly toppling him over from his squat before she giggled. "Meanie."

She then sat flat on her bottom before she laid her head onto Cloud's shoulder, beckoning him to join her in another second, Cloud sat down before he gently leaned the side of his head atop hers.

"Tired yet?" he asked. From their view, they could see all of Midgar; its eerie green glow silhouetted the topside sectors. While Shinra was already taken down, it was going to be hard to completely eliminate the use of mako. Luckily, the Midgar Restoration Council had announced their plans to switch to a solar-based energy source, but it was going to take a while before it came to fruition. Better late than never.

"Of course I'm tired! Today was such a big day and I spent all of it under the sun—I really need a shower!" Aerith complained as she pulled at the fabrics at her chest a bit to air out the heat. "But I wouldn't trade this day for anything else."

She pulled her eyes up to look at him, appreciation in every inch of her face as she smiled, "Thanks so much for this wonderful day, Cloud."

"… It was the least I could do," he replied casually, hiding his embarrassment underneath his usual tough-guy , it didn't work on Aerith anymore as she squealed and reached a hand up to pinch his cheeks..

"I know you're proud of what you've done deep down—come brag about it to me."

"You don't know the shit I had to go through," he then said, humoring her as he threw the dead sparkler to the side with the rest of the sticks. "Genesis was sick of my ass, and my friends couldn't stop texting me about how heavy everything was today. It was a total nightmare getting everything together when I'm so tired."

"Okay, I said to boast about it, not complain, you silly goose," Aerith mockingly scolded. She threw her dead sparkler over to the side as well before she brought herself closer to Cloud and brushed her shoulders against his. "You don't need to tell me how much you had to do to set everything up today; I can tell. Want to tell me what motivated you so much?"

"Is that supposed to be a trick question? I…" Cloud struggled to spit out the rest.

"You what?"

"I just really missed you."

Aerith blinked at him as he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. Even afterthey had made it this far, his inflexibility with words never seemed to fade, especially during times when it mattered. With a sigh, he continued. "The week without you was terrible. The only reason why I hadn't knocked on your door earlier was because I was just busy planning everything."

"You think I wasn't the same?" Aerith half-whispered as she soothingly rubbed the back of his shoulder. "Painting the canvas took up most of my time. My mom staring holes in my back didn't help either."

"Shoot, Elmyra." Cloud had completely forgotten about Aerith's mother and how she had seen him that night during his mako attack. Just his rotten luck. Cloud pinched the bridge of his nose as he thought about showing his face to Elmyra again.

It didn't help when he realized that he was still getting paid by her too.

"Don't worry, my mom's not as hard as she looks on the surface. Think about her later—let's not end the night with such un-fun thoughts," Aerith laughed as she brought down his hand. She clasped it with her own, making Cloud's heart race a bit from such a simple touch.

"Sure."

Together, the two of them looked up at the stars, admiring their splash against the now-black sky as the night fully settled in. Their friends' cheerful laughter never stopped as they used up the entire stash of fireworks, but the noise seemed muffled in their ears as they sat peacefully with each other, enjoying nature and their time together after a long, excruciating week. With his Buster Sword still lodged over by the flower bed, Cloud relished the feeling of being free from his sword for just a bit.

"Aerith, I got a weird question. I've always wondered."

"Hm, what is it?"

Cloud played with their interlocked hands as he moved them back and forth, making sure he framed his sensitive question right.

"As a Cetra, you said you can kind of feel and communicate with the Lifestream?"

"… Yes?" Aerith wasn't sure where Cloud was heading with this.

"Then are you able to talk to, you know, people in the Lifestream?"

Her mouth opened as she released a silent "ah," now understanding Cloud's curiosity as she gave him a small smile. Letting out a thoughtful hum, Aerith took some time to carefully formulate her answer due to its complexity.

"I can, but at the same time, I can't."

"Mysterious as ever with your powers, hm?"

"Sometimes I don't get it myself," Aerith jokingly retorted. "Most of what I know about my powers and my heritage is from self-experimentation over the years. Some knowledge I got from my mother when I was still with her in Shinra HQ, but I was too young to understand at the time, so she wasn't able to teach me much before she passed away."

"… I see."

"But to further answer your question, the afterlife is kind of a touchy area. There's a strict line that even I can't cross; that's how order is kept on the Planet between the dead and the living. However…" Aerith sighed as she recalled the many times where a soul came to greet her before they fully moved on into the Lifestream, minus a certain someone. "I can sense their presence and communicate with them one last time before they enter the Lifestream. Like a farewell, you know?"

"Did Zack ever say goodbye?" Cloud didn't think twice when he asked the question. When he realized how insensitive that might've sounded, he felt extremely guilty. However, Aerith didn't seem to have a problem with it as she let out a soft laugh.

"Nope. Idiot didn't even come by to say a few things. Because of our strong connection at the time, I was able to sense his passing, but was never able to contact his soul before he left for the Lifestream. Even to this day, I still wonder: why hadn't he come see me?"

"I think I can answer that," Cloud replied. "I'm sure he… didn't want to see you sad." Because he would've done the same if he was Zack despite knowing how Aerith felt about it. "I don't know him too well, but that's probably why—I'm sure of it."

"Perhaps. You're probably right," Aerith chuckled. With her other hand, she drew random shapes and lines onto the dirt as she spoke with nostalgia. "The me back then really blamed him for a lot of things. Like why he never replied to my letters or visited me or brought me out to dates and all those silly teenage things, but now that I'm older, I… I understand a lot more now."

"He couldn't help it. I can stand to testify." The war had been a gruesome era for all, even though he was only part of it for four years. To even hear about the occasional times Zack visited Aerith was already a great surprise; as a first-class SOLDIER, he shouldn't have even had the time to come by, but he must've really condensed his schedule just so that he could have some time with her. "It was bad, especially during the time you guys were together. Shinra managed to make clones of Sephiroth and Genesis, which really extended the were everyone's terror, both of Shinra's troops and the SOLDIER army. Zack really tried his best."

This is what he had wanted to say before, on the night of his mako attack last week, in response to Aerith's reminiscing.

_He didn't reply to any of my letters either—not even one. Yet he had the time to come visit me and stuff in secret during down times. I just felt that… he never took the extra step in our relationship, nor did he ever think about me ever during his trips across Midgar._

Aerith had revealed her uncertainty: had Zack really cared about her? Unable to reassure her otherwise at the time, Cloud released his thoughts as they discussed the SOLDIER whose grave they were meters away from.

"After everything that's happened, I think you're right, Cloud," Aerith murmured as she brought herself back to the present. "I felt like I always knew, but never was able to fully accept it. But I think after today, after witnessing through your eyes the things you and Zack had to go through—even if just a little—I understand a lot better now. How much Zack really cared."

"Of course."

"And I'm sure he was here today with us too—to celebrate. And happy to see us all together in his remembrance."

At this, Cloud gave her a questioning look. "Are you… able to sense that?"

"Silly, what did I say about me and the afterlife? Of course not, but there's one thing I forgot to add about the afterlife."

"What is it?"

Aerith stopped drawing shapes on the ground as she held up her outstretched hand towards the sky, viewing the stars between the slits of her fingers. She giggled before she let it fall back to her lap as she grasped onto Cloud's hand tighter, finding great comfort in his presence as she talked about the things she never had the chance to express to anybody before.

"There are moments when I do hear voices of the afterlife. They're souls who have lingering attachments to this world, whether it be regret, revenge, sadness, things like that. Of course, the Planet has to continue maintaining order, so they usually get resolved with time. However, it's sad that that happens in the first place, doesn't it?"

"Is it hard on you?" Cloud couldn't imagine how he would feel like if he was able to feel the presence of the dead like the way she described it. There was death everywhere. In response, Aerith shook her head, greatly lightening his worries.

"Those are very, very rare cases," assured Aerith. "But it happens. And the fact that it's so rare means that most souls are able to enter the Lifestream peacefully. So, knowing that I didn't see Zack today only means one thing."

"He's happy over there," Cloud finished for her, his heavy heart feeling something that wasn't quite sadness. The heaviness was a firm sort of heavy, one that didn't burden, but simply anchored.

"I'm sure he visited us today too; the souls have all kinds of fun watching over the Planet," Aerith giggled. "I wouldn't be surprised if he photobombed our picture from earlier; that's the kind of thing he would do."

"Sounds like he would fit into my group of friends really well," Cloud snorted.

"Haha, yup."

Their conversation about Zack and the Lifestream ended as they resumed their stargazing, content filling their hearts in silence after a fulfilling talk. Things such as the Lifestream made Cloud have hope—hope that all of his fallen comrades were truly at peace and were able to see the results of the rebellion—the freedom of everyone in Midgar and everyone else in the Planet from Shinra.

"I guess this marks the end of your healing regimen?" Aerith laughed, noticing Cloud's calm resolve. "Seems like you've moved on from your mako poisoning after all with that deep-search memory scan, hm?"

"I guess so," Cloud mused. "No more of the weird steps you put me through."

"No, no, no!" Aerith teasingly wagged a finger back and forth, eliciting a confused look from Cloud as she smiled at him. "There's one more step left before you graduate."

"There's a graduation?" he snorted before shaking his head in amusement. "What is it?"

"The final step of the healing regimen: kiss me."

Cloud stared at her in shock before he finally let out his first real laugh of the night—with her by his side, he knew there was going to be an unlimited amount of surprises.

"You want one right here?" he softly asked as he warily glanced back towards his friends.

No one was paying attention.

"Mhm," was the only thing Aerith hummed in response as she turned her head to the side to face him. Automatically, they met in the middle as their foreheads laid against each other, half-lidded as they gazed into each other's eyes, both seas of emotions. .

"You know, I really missed you," he whispered again. His chest fluttered; it had only been a week since they last kissed, but it felt like forever as he felt his mouth tingle in excitement at meeting hers again. "A lot."

"Me too," Aerith breathed, hand placed on his lap as she pulled herself closer.

The two of them leaned forward to meet in a kiss, only to hesitantly pull back a little bit as they shyly met each other's eyes in an attempt to quell the excitement raging through their stomachs and down to their toes. After one more inhale, Cloud didn't wait any longer before he eagerly pressed his mouth against hers, electricity instantly running down his neck and to his fingertips as he grasped onto the back of her neck gently yet firmly.

Aerith exhaled happily through her nose as she kissed him back, lips soft and smooth as they slid against his in a reunion that made her remember the first time they had kissed—so full of love, excitement, and endearment.

Pulling back, Cloud gave one her one last kiss before he sighed in contentment, mind dazed as he viewed the beautiful woman before him. He smiled at her—a real one—before he brought an arm around her shoulders and hugged her.

"Thank you for everything, Aerith. I'm so glad I met you," he whispered, relishing the softness of her hair as he nuzzled it with his nose. "I… love you."

Aerith felt all of her feelings explode simultaneously at her chest as she hugged him tightly back, almost out of breath from his sudden confession. She silently let a few more tears slip through her eyes as she buried her face into his shoulders, smile wide as she nodded happily against him.

"I love you too, Cloud. And congratulations—you're cured."

~ _One week later_ ~

"So I'm going to be a mailman," Cloud deadpanned, completely unamused as he sat in the bar across from Tifa. The usual din of customers filled the bar as they took their afternoon break from work. With new workers at the bar, Tifa had some time to breathe as she too took her break with Cloud, who didn't look as happy as everyone else in the bar."You're joking."

"Why am I having a sense of déjà vu?" Tifa chuckled as she fondly remembered the day she first gave Cloud the job as a bodyguard. "C'mon, you know me—I hook you up with _the_ best."

"You know, I've lost count of how many times you've said that," he grumbled, not convinced.

"Hey, I landed you the bodyguard job Look at where you are now?"

"That was only one time. The others, I found my ass hauling shit through caravans across the sectors. Now you want me to be a mailman?"

"I didn't say anything about delivering mail, geez. Monsters are still out and about—consider yourself a delivery-orientaed mercenary for the sake of civilian safety, hm?"

"You can't call me a merc anymore if I'm just going to do deliveries. And what exactly am I going to deliver?"

"Just packages and parcels!"

"So I _am_ a mailman," Cloud scoffed. However, even as he put up a fight, he knew he had to take the job; how else was he going to make money? And Tifa knew that too—that was why she was having so much fun with their current conversation.

"Where's my thanks for finding you another stable job? If not for the reputation I've helped you build over the years, I wouldn't have found it," Tifa grinned as she jokingly ruffled his hair. He grabbed her wrist and set it back onto the table, eyes narrowed at the fun she was having.

"When's the first job?"

"That's more like it. You'll be starting tomorrow. I think Marle has a package she wants you to deliver for her relative in Sector 2."

"Sector fucking 2?"

"And another package to Sector 8 on the same day."

"The same day," he repeated, flabbergasted. "Tifa, does it look like I have wheels on me? I have only my two _legs._ "

"Not a problem," Tifa grinned. At the same moment, a text rang her phone, making her smile wider. "Come, I got something to show you."

Curious with what the raven-haired girl had up in her sleeves, Cloud followed her out the door of 7th Heaven and back underneath the sunlight that streamed in between the gaps of the plate above. Before he could ask her what she was showing him, the sound of a loud and noisy engine roared somewhere not far off, approaching rapidly. Before he knew it, a motorcycle had stopped right by the entrance of the bar with Biggs and Jessie riding it.

"Yahoo, did someone call for our services?" Jessie whooped as she garnered everyone's attention along with Biggs. "We're here, baby!"

"What the hell?" Cloud followed Tifa's footsteps as they clambered down the front steps of the bar and greeted the two, whose proud smirks never went away as they sat on the motorcycle. His eyes scanned the thing before he cocked a brow at the two, silently questioning them what this was all about.

"Luckily for you, Biggs had a rusty motorcycle just stored in the back shed of his house," Jessie explained. "Tifa told us about your new delivery job—asked if there was a way to get you moving about without your legs falling apart and time wasted. So…" Jessie handed it over to Biggs, who gave the stupefied merc turned mailman a thumbs up.

"Jessie, Wedge, and I worked together to patch this baby right up. Gave it a new paint job and everything. I think my grandfather called it Fenrir."

"… Are you saying this is mine?"

Cloud blinked, pointing to himself as he took in the sight of the bike.

"We expect thirty percent of your shares for your first twenty deliveries, thanks," Jessie automatically billed him as she hopped off and patted the seat space behind Biggs. "Be glad you got someone like Tifa hooking you up with these sweet deals."

At this, Tifa smiled a sickingly sweet smile at Cloud. He rolled his eyes.

 _Point proven,_ he thought.

"Definitely savestime," he muttered in amazement. Maybe delivering things wouldn't be too bad after all.

Biggs turned off the engine as he hopped off the bike. Tossing the keys over to Cloud, he placed his hands on his hips as he jerked his head back. "Take it out for a spin?"

"Well, I have an appointment with Aerith and her mom later toni—" Cloud stopped before he let out a "hm." Then, he fumbled with the keys in his hand. "Actually, sure. Thanks."

"Someone already fell in love," Jessie cooed as she crossed her arms. "Show off to your girlfriend, loud and proud. Rev it up in Sector 5, Buster Boy!"

"Fortunately, I'm not going to be as rowdy as you two," Cloud retorted as he helped moved the vehicle more towards the entrance. "But thanks, guys. This'll save me a lot of pain while delivering.

"Thirty percent for your first twenty deliveries, remember that!"

Evening arrived along with his appointment at Aerith's house. Cloud got onto the bike and rode his way over to Sector 5, glad that he didn't have to take the train this time around. He hoped that some of his nervousness in meeting her would dissipate in the wind that tore at his hair. He was disappointed when it instead increased exponentially the moment he parked Fenrir and took his first step on the grounds of Elmyra's property.

After their day at the edge of Midgar, Cloud had quit his job as Aerith's bodyguard. However, it didn't really mean anything when it was Aerith who had to relay that message to Elmyra. Cloud had been too afraid, dare he admit it, to face the wrath of his girlfriend's mother. So he completely dodged the bullet this time around by submitting his resignation indirectly through Aerith. He knew that not telling Elmyra directly probably made him look bad, but it was what he had to do to prepare his mindset for the eventual confrontation, not as Aerith's bodyguard, but as Aerith's _lover_. Glad that it only took a week before he finally agreed to a dinner at the Gainsborough residence, Cloud wasn't sure if he was even ready anymore as he hesitantly made his way across the bridge.

But it didn't matter what he felt because he already found himself in front of the door as the back of his fist rapped against its wood.

"Coming!" came Aerith's familiar voice before she swung open the door and propped it open. At the sight of her boyfriend, Aerith smiled happily as she made room for him to come in.

"Hi," he greeted Aerith awkwardly, and when he stepped foot into their kitchen, he was met with the sight of Elmyra, who stopped her cooking to turn around and greet their guest.

"Hello, Cloud," Elmyra said, and it took everything in his power not to wince out of fear. Her tone sounded welcoming, but for some reason, he felt that there was something more behind the façade. He politely greeted her back and followed Aerith's lead.

"We're almost done with dinner—shrimp pasta today!" Aerith said excitedly. It was as if she wasn't nervous as all as she sat Cloud at their table. "My mom makes the best. You're going to love it."

"Haha. Looking forward to it," Cloud said politely, feeling so out of place as he tried his best to look good in front of Elmyra. After the whole disaster two weeks ago with absolutely no explanation, it was the least he could do.

When Elmyra finished cooking and joined them for dinner, Cloud thought it was going to move along smoothly. Aerith had happily talked about her day in Sector 3 as she sold her flowers. Of course, Cloud was there to accompany her, bodyguard or not, but Aerith didn't mention it as Elmyra listened on. Just when he thought, in his naïveté, that the conversation was going to conclude smoothly, Elmyra dropped the hammer.

"So, Cloud, I heard you've decided to quit the bodyguarding," Elmyra noted, almost casually. She twirled some pasta onto her fork as an awkward silence settled between them. Cloud had to clear up his throat with some iced water before he answered.

"Er, yes, I have. I got another job."

"What is it?"

"I'll be delivering packages for people," Cloud said, trying his best to hide his discomfort as he suffered Elmyra's interrogation. "Monsters are still around, and we don't have a secure and safe delivery system right now, so I'll be helping out with that until the Midgar Restoration Council does something about it."

"Sounds busy."

"Yeah."

"I heard you were a past SOLDIER too?"

Cloud gave a glance towards Aerith's direction, only to receive a grin from her as she happily ate her pasta without a care in the world. Wondering if she even knew how he was feeling right now, he slowly nodded as he answered all of Elmyra's questions.

"Yes, I fought during the last four years."

"Must've been really hard for you."

"I'm just glad that it's all over."

"Mom, you're making him uncomfortable," Aerith finally spoke up as she laughed, rubbing Cloud on the shoulder as he pursed his lips a bit. "What did I say about scaring him?"

Elmyra crossed her arms as she gave Cloud an impassive look. "I'm just learning about the man who romanced my daughter on the job."

"Mom!"

Aerith blushed in embarrassment at her mother's directness as she cupped her cheeks with her two hands, containing her squeals as much as possible. Cloud wasn't any better as he felt some nervous sweat drip down the back of his neck—he should've known this was the treatment he was going to get the moment he decided to have a dinner so soon.

"What can you do to make me believe you're not trying to trick my daughter here?"

" _Mom._ "

"Being, um, romantically involved with Aerith wasn't my intention," Cloud lamely explained, feeling the fire under his ass as Elmyra's piercing gaze gave him a fear reminiscent of the SOLDIER clones back in the day. "But, er, some things happened—"

"Some _things?_ " Elmyra drawled, instantly causing Cloud to wave his hands as if he could shoo away the weird thoughts she was undoubtedly having. The shrimp pasta was long forgotten as the three of them tried to find some middle ground.

"No, not just things, we—I just got to know her better and everything." Cloud had never felt like such a bumbling fool before as his mind went into hyperdrive with the words that fumbled so clumsily in his mind. He could feel Elmyra's first impression of him as Aerith's girlfriend fading into a dark abyss as he tried to find his footing again. "I helped her, she helped me… 'round and 'round it goes."

"… I'm not too fond of Aerith dating anyone affiliated with SOLDIER."

At this, Cloud felt his spirits die as he faced the possibility of the greatest rejection of his life. He looked over at Aerith, who now frowned at her mother. However, she didn't say anything as Elmyra glared at him with crossed arms. Was this it? Was this how he was going to leave Aerith's house?

"Because of a certain man in the past, I had to see my daughter go through terrible things." It wasn't a mystery who Elmyra was talking about. "I told her nothing good would come with mako eyes, but she doesn't seem to listen to me, even when I'm saying it for her own good."

"Mom," Aerith urged, this time tugging on her mother's elbow, but Elmyra didn't spare a glance at her as her eyes trained on Cloud's. The only thing he could do to maintain some dignity was keep the eye contact.

"I wanted her to get married to someone modest around here, someone who wouldn't have a dark haunting him. She has had enough burdens, both from her previous lover and her status as a Cetra. A normal life for her is all that I ask for. Do you know what that means?"

Cloud slowly nodded as he let the realization sink in. The entire time, he hadn't even noticed the taste of the pasta in his mouth as he faced the Elmyra's severe disapproval of him. Aerith had assured that their dinner would turn out fine, which was the only reason why he had mustered up the courage to come here. However, he was preparing to leave once Elmyra banned him from seeing Aerith ever again, and it was taking a lot longer than he expected. Not sure how much more he could endure he tightened his jaw as he grasped onto his fork tightly.

"You are the last man I would want for Aerith."

Cloud closed his eyes, nodding slowly as he took in Elmyra's words. This was it.

"Under normal circumstances, I would've cast you away already, but…" Elmyra gently settled down her utensils before she delivered the words that relieved Cloud more than the end of the war. "I heard what you did for my daughter."

"W-What?" Cloud stuttered.

Elmyra sighed as she wiped her mouth with a napkin, plate barely touched as she managed a miniscule smile. Cloud could see the way Aerith visibly relaxed as Elmyra nodded slowly, letting some of the weight of her words sink in before she continued.

"Aerith told me everything that happened last week. With the memory scan and Zack's gravesite."

"O-Oh, she did?" He didn't hear about this. Seeing his confused expression, Aerith simply smiled as she discreetly gave him a thumbs up from underneath the table. Elmyra nodded again.

"I had the great pleasure of watching it too."

"…"

So _that's_ why Aerith had insisted on having a copy of the memory scan.

Cloud had requested a copy of the memory scan that could be played through disc at topside. Despite his jealousy, he wanted something for her to remember Zack by. Of course, getting one wasn't easy—the memory scan contained too much sensitive information about the rebellion for it to be distributed—so Aerith had to actually come up to topside herself to get it using her authority as the "last Cetra on the Planet." That day, Cloud learned that Aerith had the scary ability to access many things simply because she was the last of an ancient bloodline. After securing a copy, he hadn't expected her to show Elmyra so easily.

Embarrassed that his girlfriend's mom had seen the footage, Cloud had to hide half of his face with a hand as he tinged with redness. Elmyra chuckled lightly as her intimidating façade melted away to reveal something more welcoming.. Realizing the reason why Aerith hadn't said much during this entire interaction, Cloud glared at her as his stiff figure relaxed a little bit.

"You were playing me."

"I'm so sorry, my mom just _had_ to get some revenge and scare you," Aerith chortled with mouth wide open. She had to wipe a tear away as her stomach hurt from all the laughter. "Of course, she wasn't too fond that all of this happened behind her back, so she needed to get back at you somehow. Although, I do have to admit—she said a lot of things I didn't expect her to say. Mom! Say sorry."

"Sorry about that, I just needed to vent it out somehow. You won't hear those words from me ever again," Elmyra smiled as her glare thankfully went away.

"It's fine." He released a heavy breath as he felt his nerves settle back down, still processing Elmyra's unexpected soft side. Picking his fork back up as the shock slowly faded away, Cloud continued to eat his pasta so that he could busy himself. Both mother and daughter gave him the air he needed after such a scary confrontation as they smiled at each other and dug in as well. It wasn't long before normal conversations began to spring up regarding Aerith's sales, Cloud's home at Sector 7, their celebration at topside, and such.

"I'm about finished here, you guys," Elmyra announced once she finished her pasta. She took Cloud's and Aerith's empty plates as well before she went over to the sink to wash them. "Go on and hang around as long as you'd like, Cloud, as an apology for earlier. Don't feel too uncomfortable—and don't hurt my daughter."

"You got it, Mrs. Gainsborough," Cloud assured. "The pasta was great. Thank you for having me over."

"Thanks for coming."

"Cloud, Cloud, you said something about a bike in your text messages!" Aerith said gleefully as she stood behind him and jumped up and down excitedly, using his shoulders as leverage. "Did you bring it—of course you did, you came by here so fast!"

"Er, yeah, it's here, but—"

"Let's take her out for a spin!"

"But—"

"C'mon!" and without another warning, Aerith grabbed onto Cloud's hand as she pulled him through the door. The only thing he was able to do was give Elmyra a polite wave before he got dragged out by Aerith. Watching the two young adults disappear out the door, Elmyra simply shook her head as a knowing smile graced her lips.

"Reminds me of when I was young," was all she said to herself before she resumed her kitchen cleaning.

"Ooo, this is awesome! You have to give a million thanks to Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge for this!" Aerith exclaimed as she hopped around the bike to examine every inch of it underneath the moonlight once they were outside. "You owe them a lot more than thirty percent of your shares."

"Yeah, I know," sighed Cloud. "I'm surprised they did this much for me."

"What are friends for?" she giggled as she hopped onto the seat. Then, she patted the space in front of her. "What are you waiting for? Let's go, I'm excited! I've never ridden one before."

"… Sure." Fishing the keys out of his pocket, Cloud swung his leg over as he sat on the seat. Aerith instantly wrapped her arms snug around his waist as she shifted to get more comfortable. Starting the engine carefully, Cloud rolled the bike forward with his two feet before he accelerated.

"Let's zoom!" Aerith hooted as she held up a peace sign up in the air, earning an irritable grunt from Cloud.

"Please, let's stay still or else you're gonna make us both fall off this thing."

"Onward!"

The two of them made their way out of Sector 5 and into a more isolated road to avoid disturbing the neighbors too much. Going at a comfortable speed, Cloud allowed Aerith to take in the sight of the nature before her as tall trees lined both sides, tips brushing against the bottom of the moon that lit up the night sky. These were trees which had been spared the destruction wrought by Shinra. With the side of her head resting against his muscular back, Aerith got comfy as they two of them enjoyed a romantic ride down the straight and smooth road.

"The wind feels really good," Aerith leaned forward and spoke into his ear so that he could hear her better. "Monsters wouldn't pop up out of nowhere, would they?"

"You think I never fought them on a bike before?" Cloud spoke up against the wind as he signaled towards the Buster Sword with a hand. Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge had customized Fenrir by adding a sort of sheath for his sword, knowing fully well that the blond never left the sector without it. "It's a bit awkward, but I can still get the job done."

"Wow, we got a specially-trained, elite SOLDIER over here," Aerith teased as she fully sat back down. "Nothing gets in your way, does it?"

"Unless they want to have a taste of my sword, then yes, nothing," he humored her.

The two of them rode around a little while longer before Cloud figured she had enough of just circling around the same area. Stopping a bit to just take a break and enjoy the still nature around them, Cloud turned towards her as he gave her a small smile.

"Had enough?"

"I wish you had gone faster so that I could feel the thrill," Aerith pouted, "but yes! Thanks for the ride. The scenery around these roads sure is beautiful. Too bad not a lot of people go on them because of the monsters."

"Yup. Are you ready to go back home?"

"…"

Expecting an immediate answer, Cloud frowned a bit when he didn't get one as he raised a brow.

"Aerith?"

"I don't want to go home yet."

Cloud blinked rapidly at her, making sure his ears weren't hallucinating as he tilted his head a bit to the side in question—a habit he had gotten from Aerith. "You want to go around one more time or something?"

Aerith suddenly got shy as her cheeks tinted pink. When she grasped onto his shirt at the back and looked up at him, he was quick to get what she was hinting.

"Um," Cloud shifted in the seat of his motorcycle a bit more so that he could face her a little bit better. "Do you perhaps want to… sleep over?"

Aerith nodded slowly, causing his heart to skip a beat. He then sighed. "But Elmyra—"

"God damn it, Cloud, I'm twenty-four. If I still need my mom's permission for these kinds of things, I'll never get anywhere in the world," Aerith suddenly snapped, surprising Cloud a little bit before he openly laughed and placed a hand affectionately on her head.

"I wouldn't want her to kill me with her eyes every time she sees me afterwards though," Cloud reasoned, but Aerith shook her head.

"It's fine. It'll be an apology for messing with you so bad earlier."

"… My walls are thin."

"I got some magic up my sleeves to deal with that."

"But—"

"Okay, gosh darn it, Cloud, just take me home then!" The embarrassment was clear in her voice as she slapped him across the shoulder for making her say so many unnecessary things. She puffed up her cheeks in another pout. "Just take me home!"

Unable to resist her cuteness, Cloud planted a peck on her lips before he gave her a small smile.

"Let's go back to Sector 7, hm?"

Aerith stared at him before her embarrassment dissipated. Nodding shyly, she wrapped her arms around his waist once more before he revved up the engine and made his way back home.

The magic was instantly cast the moment the door to Cloud's room closed with a final slam. Aerith grasped wildly at Cloud's hair as he kissed her senseless against one of his walls. He blindly fumbled around in the darkness to turn on the small lamp to his room without breaking the kiss for even a second before the two of them tumbled onto his bed, accidentally knocking down the lamp they just turned on onto the floor.

"Wait, that was kind of expensive," Aerith spoke as she detached her mouth from his as she glanced backwards to check for damage. "Let me—"

She didn't get the chance to pick up the lamp before Cloud pulled her down by the neck for another kiss.

"Worry about it later, it's still working," he muttered against her mouth as he flipped onto her back. He hovered over her as the sheets wrinkled beneath them "Unless you want the lights off."

"No, it's okay, I want to see you," Aerith giggled. She propped herself up a bit so that she could remove the ribbon that tied her braid, allowing her soft tresses to unfurl and tumble everywhere. Cloud was quick to dig his hands into their silkiness before he pushed her back onto his bed with a kiss. Ribbon laying forgotten on the floor along with the lamp, the two continued to kiss as their arms wrapped around each other while their legs tangled.

Cloud had meant to ask for permission first before he did it, but his mind had already gone blank the moment they entered his room as one of his hands crept up underneath her dress to feel the skin of her stomach, eliciting a gasp from Aerith as she breathed heavily through her nose. However, she didn't stop him as she relished the feelings of his cool, calloused hand rubbing against her bare skin, igniting fires with every trail he traced with his fingers. Once his hand went underneath her bra, she had to break the kiss to catch some much-needed air; the butterflies that raged against her chest was too much.

"Too far?" Cloud's thinking came back when the kiss broke apart. Right when he was about to slide his hand out, Aerith grasped onto it through her dress to anchor it in place, all the while shaking her head.

"I just haven't done this in a long time, give me a minute," she said breathlessly, emerald eyes glazed over as she drowned herself in the mako in his eyes. Then, she eyed all of his suspenders. "Want to loosen yourself up a little bit?"

She didn't need to say another word as Cloud unhooked his suspenders and threw his stomach brace and pauldron down onto the floor carelessly, still clad in his pants and sleeveless turtleneck. She giggled into his mouth when he met her for another kiss as her own hand dove underneath his shirt to trace the fine lines of his muscles. Feeling amazing things with the way Cloud pressed and squeezed at certain spots, Aerith was about to just take off her dress when Cloud suddenly stopped and brought his body back up to hover above hers.

"Cloud?" she blinked at him under his dimly lit room as she gave him a curious smile. She watched as Cloud gazed at her face, eyes shining brightly as a hand went up to cup her face.

"I love you, Aerith," he half-whispered, surprising her with the sudden declaration in the middle of everything. "I still can't believe you're here with me, so I just… want to look at you for a little bit."

"Cloud…" Aerith nearly teared up as she sat upright and lunged at him in an embrace. Cloud hit the back of his head against the wall as he released a low groan out of pain, but he nonetheless returned her hug as his arms circled around her slim waist.

"Mind giving me a warning?" Cloud murmured as he brushed some hair out of her face. He then buried his fingers in her hair as he combed through it lovingly, eyes never leaving hers as he cradled her in his lap.

"Sorry, I got too excited," Aerith laughed as her own hands played with the ends of his spiky hair. Then, her hands traveled to cup his face, tilting it upward so that his eyes could look straight at hers. "I … I love you too, Cloud." She smiled at him, beauty apparent despite the low lights. "I wouldn't be as happy as I am right now if I never met you. Really."

"And I don't think I would've been able to move on from my past if you never came busting through my door." Then, he eyed the window they built together before laughing a little bit. "Literally."

"It was the only way to get you to listen," she quipped as she tapped him on the nose with a finger. "You were stubborn—you're _still_ stubborn. I'm surprised that you can still shoot fire out of your mouth at me even when we're together now."

"Just because you're my girlfriend now doesn't mean anything's too different," Cloud scoffed as he stopped his finger movements and settled his hands onto her hips. "The only difference is that I get to babysit you twenty-four seven now."

Aerith's jaw dropped, surprised at how he still had the audacity to say something like that despite the lingering romantic atmosphere before she guffawed and slapped him on the side of the arm. "Cloud, you're such a meanie!"

When she mockingly threw a fit and fidgeted on his lap, Cloud let out a small hiss as she grinded against him unintentionally. He had to hold her hips to get her to stop.

"Aerith, you're killing me," Cloud groaned as he lifted her up and got her off. Noticing his awkward movements, she smiled coyly before she grabbed the hems of her dress.

"Do you want to continue what we were doing earlier, or…?"

Cloud blinked once at her before he rolled his eyes.

"That's a dumb question," and he sealed the night with another kiss as they fell back onto the bed. This time, nothing interrupted them anymore as the two bound their love together, forever imprinting themselves onto each other as the night passed passionately around their magic-sealed room.

~One week later~

"Wedge! Can you stop hogging all the meat? C'mon, meat is expensive!" Jessie barked as she waved the tongs threateningly at him. "I haven't even had a single bite!"

"Here, let me take over," Tifa offered. When Jessie gave her a hesitant look, Tifa smiled in assurance. "I've eaten a bit already, so I'll be good for a while."

"Thanks, Tifa, my stomach has been _growling!_ "

Currently, everyone was in front of the Gainsborough residence. Elmyra had invited all of Aerith's friends over for a weekend gathering. The smell of a barbeque wafted delightfully in the air. Wanting to see and meet everyone officially, the middle-aged woman graciously prepared everything for the young adults, supplies and all. Upon a large table were spread trays of various foods, from produce to meat and seafood. Tifa and Jessie manned the grill while Barret and Biggs tried to set up a campire, carefully avoiding boiling all the flowers. Already finished with his duties to set up the table and bring out the chairs, Wedge now lounged around as he picked the food fresh off the grill, eagerly filling his plate as well as his stomach.

"Where the heck are those two? Does it take that long to get drinks?" Jessie yelled, exasperated. Her voice was muffled with the sounds of shrimp. "Don't tell me they took a rendezvous off somewhere!"

"Allow them to take their stroll," Tifa laughed as she flipped a piece of steak. "Apparently, Elmyra sent them to run errands all morning just to get the food. _We_ are the guests today, not them."

"The quality of this food is amazing though," Biggs said as Wedge gave him a piece of the steak. "These definitely didn't come from the slums. They probably had to bring them back from the upper sectors or something."

"Good meat makes for a better campfire!" declared Barret as they finished up the fire. He went over and impaled a few pieces of beef, shrimp, and vegetables with a stick before he hobbled over and grilled his new kabob over the open flames. "Reminds me of the the days when I traveled around too. Nothing beats a natural grill."

"Glad to hear everyone having fun," Elmyra emerged from the house as she brought out more plates, utensils, and napkins. She placed them on the table before she went around to inspect the work everyone had done, chuckling as she watched Biggs and Barret cook their food over a fire instead of a grill. "Don't be shy and eat up. As much as you can."

"Will do, Mrs. Gainsborough! Thank you so much!" Wedge cheered as he gobbled down his plate.

Elmyra looked around as she frowned, hands on hips as her eyes scanned the area. "And where did those two go?"

"They're still getting drinks and stuff," informed Tifa. "They're probably taking their time though, which isn't a problem."

"They better come back soon or else all of this will be gone!" Jessie cackled.

Unbeknownst to the group, the couple was a lot closer than they thought. With bags filled with drinks in their hand, the two stepped foot on to the Gainsborough property after a stroll around the markets.

"Wow, they're really cooking!" Aerith sniffed the air as she let out a hum of delight. "I'm starving! It smells so good."

"It better _taste_ good," Cloud grumbled, tired of all the errands he had to run just to set everything up for their friends. "Who knew Elmyra would show more hospitality towards my friends than me?"

"Oh pooh, she's seen enough of you, that's why," Aerith scrunched her face up teasingly as she clasped her hands behind her back, bag and everything. "She only saw everyone else through brief visits, you know."

"I got the stare down of my life during our dinner while everyone else gets a whole barbeque party instead—seems fair."

"Once the food gets into your stomach, you'll stop complaining."

When the two reached the familiar bridge that led to her house, Aerith suddenly stopped in her tracks as a big smile stretched across her face. Cloud stopped with her, interest piqued.

"Something the matter?" he asked.

"This place is really special to me," she giggled as she held her arms out and spun around. The hem of her dress twirled as she spun a few more times before stopping in front of him. When she saw his confused look, she shook her head in mock disappointment. "This is the place where we first met!"

"Oh, you're right." Nostalgia already began to fill his chest as he gazed at the familiar, flowery environment, one that he passed by so frequently. Yet he never stopped to think of it as the place where him and Aerith first met. Now that they took a moment to let it sink, he was unable to believe that it was this very place just a few months ago that changed his life forever.

"Feels like yesterday, doesn't it? When we first met?" Aerith hummed as she bent down to caress one of her beloved flowers. "You were so scary! With the Buster Sword and everything. Oh, and that _glare_. You really didn't want to come here that day, did you?"

"Not going to lie about that," he chuckled as he crossed his arms and remembered the very day he first laid eyes on her. "I just wanted the job to be done for the day so that I could just go back home."

"Even when you laid eyes on pretty little me?"

Cloud rolled her eyes when Aerith mockingly held a hand against her cheek and batted her eyelashes excessively.

"Even when I laid eyes on pretty little you," he humored her.

Aerith's laugh joyously rung in the air as she stood right back up and dusted her dress with her hands.

"Hello, how may I help you?"

Cloud gave her a bizarre look as she tilted her head at him cutely, not understanding what she was saying. When she repeated it while raising her eyebrows, he caught on with what she was doing as he shook his head in amusement. Nonetheless, he played along.

"Is the Gainsborough residence near here?"

"Why, yes, but what is your business here?"

"I got hired by your scary mom to bodyguard you."

Aerith covered her mouth so that she could hold in her laughter, but she didn't break the act. "Bodyguard? I never heard of this! What in the world do I need protection from?"

"Yourself."

"Okay, you're _so_ not funny," Aerith playfully pushed him by the shoulder for his lack of cooperation "You're making me sound like a doofus here."

"You're not wrong."

Cloud's witty façade broke into laughter when Aerith shook him by the shoulders in feigned frustration as she attempted to let out a yell of anguish, only to fail as she laughed with him instead. Shaking her head, she put some distance between them before she wagged her index finger knowingly in front of his face.

"I swear, you're only like this because you just want to put up a front, huh?"

Cloud quirked an eyebrow up in question. "A front for?"

"A front to remain calm and collected! I throw you off course too much with my antics, don't I? You can't keep up with me otherwise!" Aerith triumphantly pushed a finger against his chest as she stuck her tongue out. Before she could remove herself and walk away with the victory in their banter, Cloud reached a hand out and grabbed onto her waist, pulling her flush against his chest as a small smirk played at his lips.

"I'll have to admit—you _do_ throw me for a loop more than I would like, but what can I say? It's never easy. However…"

Cloud leaned his face closer as their noses touched, causing Aerith to erupt into snickers as she enthusiastically wrapped her arms around his neck.

"However?" she urged.

"At the end, I'll always find a way to catch up to you—even if it _is_ never easy."

To finish, Cloud brought his lips down to kiss her, only to stop half-way when they faced an interruption.

"Hey, they're finally back! They're over at the—my eyes!" Jessie jokingly pressed her palms against her eyes once she saw them, hissingin pain, causing Cloud and Aerith to jump apart from each other in surprise and embarrassment. "They burn, they burn!"

"What's going on over here?" Tifa emerged from the bush before she spotted the couple. Happily waving her hand with the tongs in it, she beckoned for the two to come over. While she hadn't seen what had happened between them, she could already guess with the way Jessie had acted so dramatically with her eyes. "Barret and Wedge and Biggs are at it with the food. If you wait any longer, it's gonna run out!"

"Lies!" Cloud hollered back, knowing full well how much food there was, being the one who had purchased it all of it with the bag of gil Elmyra had given him. Nonetheless, he offered a hand towards Aerith, which she grasped eagerly. "Shall we join them?"

Aerith whooped as loudly as she could before she took the lead and pulled Cloud along.

"Let's!"

And together, the two of them rushed across the bridge and towards Aerith's house, ready to remember this day with many more countless ones to come.

~8 years later~

"This tea is tastes absolutely wonderful!" an elderly woman exclaimed as she held three fingertips to her mouth. Her eyes were wide with amazement at the aromatic teacup in her hands before she set it back onto table and clasped her hands on her lap. "Do tell how you brew it—I need something like this to truly relax when I need it!"

"I'd be happy to share with you," her friend said enthusiastically. The two elderly companions enjoyed their herbal tea as they sat in comfy sofa chairs by the window where the sunlight streamed softly, warm and bright. A record player played soft jazz as the women hummed along. When the song ended, the elderly woman stood up to swap the record with another one, only to be interrupted when the doorbell rang.

"Oh, who could it be?" she asked curiously. Her friend thought a moment about who could be visiting before a lightbulb lit above her head as she clapped excitedly. Carefully standing up just so that her back would not get strained, the friend hobbled over with her cane to the front door.

"Hello, I'm here for a delivery for Mrs. Harvey?" the young man announced once the door opened. He looked at the order form before he nodded. "One bouquet of roses and another of yellow lilies?"

"That's right! Thank you so much for delivering right to my door!"

"No worries, that's what we do. Now if you could just sign here." He flipped the clipboard and handed the pen over. "Then your order will be complete."

"Of course, of course!" and she signed the document with a shaky hand before the young man handed her two bouquets of flowers.

"I hope you enjoy them. There's a manual on how to take care of them tucked into one of the bouquets just in case," he tipped his cap a bit as a farewell. "Have a nice day, ma'am."

"You too! Safe travels, young lad!"

The other elderly woman watched as Mrs. Harvey came back from the front door with flowers in her arms this time as she went into the kitchen and fetched a vase. Filling it with water, she settled it onto the kitchen table as she unwrapped the stems from their plastic.

"Flowers! Oh, they're always a beauty to look at," the elderly woman exclaimed in admiration as she reached out a hand to take one out of the bouquet. Twirling the yellow lily in her hands, she took in its beauty as she held it up against the sunlight that came out from the kitchen window. "They're so popular nowadays! I always seem them around wherever I go now."

"That sounds about right," Mrs. Harvey chuckled as she took out a pair of scissors and cut each stem diagonally before plopping them into the crystal vase. "Remember back then? When flowers were near nonexistent around Midgar? Oh, Mrs. Reed, how times have changed. These beauties are everywhere now, from homes to restaurants and stores! Such a joy to have around."

"My grandson's wedding is coming soon," Mrs. Reed remarked as she helped rearrange the yellow lilies with the red roses. "And we were thinking of decorating the reception with these flowers—do you think they'd look good?"

"Why are you even asking? Of course, they'll look fabulous! Look."

Mrs. Harvey lightly felt a petal between her two fingers, feeling its velvety and crisp texture.

"They're so well taken care of. They wouldn't disappoint at a wedding!"

"You think so? Perhaps I can order some for the occasion then. Oh, my memory is getting fuzzy nowadays though," Mrs. Reed muttered as she lightly rapped the side of her head with her hand. "Where can we order these again? It's not too hard, is it?"

"It's really simple, Mrs. Reed! You should definitely check it out. They deliver right to your door too, very quickly. The customer service is absolutely amazing." Then, Mrs. Harvey gently elbowed her dear friend's side as a grin stretched across her face. "The young man who delivers it every time really takes me back to my younger days every time I see him. I heard he's super popular among the young ladies nowadays!"

"Oh, oh, oh, I know _exactly_ who you're talking about! My granddaughter would _not_ stop gushing about him during a family dinner!" Mrs. Reed exclaimed dramatically.

The two elderly women laughed heartily before Mrs. Reed continued. "He's stealing everyone's hearts. However, I heard that he's already taken—and he's _been_ taken for a really long time now. Eight years!"

"Oh my, and so young too!"

"Yup! And I heard his wife is _the_ last Cetra on the Planet!"

"Cetra! Oh, I have not heard that word in such a long time. I didn't know we still had one living today."

"She's the one who grows all these flowers, you see. Oh, I know about this organization, but my old, rusty memory just can't get the name! If you don't mind, please do remind me of the name?" requested Mrs. Reed.

"It's Strife's Flower Delivery Service—don't forget it next time!

~.~.~

A new home that sits at the edge of Sector 5. Green fields of grass and flowers surround it. Quiet and serene—away from the bustling activity of the center of the sector. A familiar old home can be seen in the distance because of the trademark waterfall that sits right next to it. Elmyra Gainsborough currently lives there by herself.

The new home doesn't have much yet. However, furniture will be coming in soon. Paintings are already hung on the wall. In the kitchen. In the living room. In the bedrooms. Buckets of paint sit by the corners of the room. They are going to eventually paint the walls with a new, fresh white.

In the backyard, there are already pots filled with soil and plants. Grape vines wrap around a fence. Beside it is a bridge, which leads to a koi pond. There aren't fish in it yet, but Cloud Strife is in charge of filling it up once he gets to it. He has too many deliveries to complete. The fish will have to wait.

Inside, Aerith Gainsborough is standing inside one of the bedrooms. There isn't much in it yet—only one singular bed and an oak table right next to it. However, like the rest of the house, it will be decorated soon with all sorts of furniture.

But for now, one painted canvas and three pictures should be enough.

Aerith Gainsborough hangs the canvas she had painted eight years ago for her husband above the head of their bed. It is a bit difficult since it is so big, but she manages on her own as she dusts her hands after a job well done. She then goes over to the table, where she neatly arranges the picture frames. She laughs as she holds the picture of her and Zack Fair seventeen years ago, wondering if it is okay with her husband to even have it here. It is a good memory. It would be a shame if it had to go somewhere else. Deciding to worry about its placement later, she leaves it on the table anyway.

The second photo is of all of them standing by Zack Fair's newly-built gravesite at the edge of Midgar eight years ago. Their youthful smiles—minus Cloud Strife's—are a sight for sore eyes. Wondering how eight years could pass so fast, Aerith Gainsborough shakes her head a little bit, reminiscing before she situates the frame on the table.

Finally, the third photo. It is of their wedding a year ago. It is one of the rarer photos where Cloud Strife is smiling. Who knows how much badgering Tifa Lockhart had to do to get him to smile on his own wedding day. Silently thanking Tifa for all she had done to help them set up their delivery service, Aerith Gainsborough kisses their precious wedding photo before she places it with the other three. She is happy to see their room decorated, even just a bit. There will be more photos to join later.

As Aerith Gainsborough walks around their new home. while Cloud Strife is out with his deliveries, she thinks about everything they had gone through to be here today. She thinks about all the money problems they had faced. She thinks about the Geostigma pandemic that had almost taken her husband's life a few years back. She thinks about the debt they had to go through to maintain a seemingly failed business. She thinks about many things—too many to list out.

However, she thinks about them with a smile on her face. There are many unexpected things that can happen in life—things that a person might not ever even think of in their lifetime. However, they happen. They happen to everyone. But there is always a way to overcome it, even though it might be difficult.

After all, it's never easy.

Aerith Gainsborough smiles as she leans her husband's old sword against one of the walls of their living room. It has been a while since he last gripped it. Glad that he doesn't carry it around with him all the time anymore, she pats the blade affectionately before her work phone rings. Eagerly taking it out of her pocket, she picks it up before she says the usual.

"Hello, this is Strife's Flower Delivery Service! What kind of bouquets would you like to order today?"

**Fin.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we have it guys: the end. Even though this story lasted only around three and a half months, it feels like years since I've written it. All the support I've gotten from this fic has been enormous and unexpected, so I cannot express enough how much joy writing this story for you guys have been, especially during such a devastating time.
> 
> FIRST, LET'S GIVE A HUGE THANKS FOR THOSE WHO HYPED ME UP ON TWITTER BECAUSE WITHOUT THEM, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PUMP THIS OUT!
> 
> And thank you for everyone who reviewed. They really powered me even when I had writer's block or insecurity. I never had such a big audience reading my work before, so I wouldn't be lying when I say I was scared of your guys' expectations! (I still am right now as you guys let this ending sink). Every chapter felt like climbing up a mountain, so I tried my best to deliver my best work (content wise because lol these typos before my beta reader came in really killed some moments xD).
> 
> And thank you for all my silent readers as well and the ones who have favorited it. Just knowing that people have been waiting every chapter since the first one is what kept me writing. Writing 150k+ words isn't easy LOL and I've been known to just let stories hanging, never to complete. When I wrote this final chapter, I really felt a lot of emotions because one, this story is such a huge accomplishment for me as a writer, and two, I felt like I grew up with the characters. And I really hope you guys felt this journey too now that you've finished the ending.
> 
> We watched Cloud's journey through his mako poisoning, Aerith's journey in becoming more integrated into human society, and everyone else's as they interacted with these two main leads. Writing the support characters were the most fun; this story wouldn't have been fleshed out the way it had been if not for Tifa's and Jessie's characters especially. Even though not much "active events" happened (most of it happened in their pasts), this story was meant for reflection-to look back and try to move on from the past and such by looking at the present. I'm not going to say that I planned everything out in this story from points A to B to C to D (hell no, I don't got enough responsibility for that xD). But everything has turned out the way I wanted it, so I couldn't have been happier with this end I have presented to you guys!
> 
> Sorry for this long ass author's note, I just really want to put in some last words before we really close the book for this story! I love reading every one of your reviews. Thank you for those who followed my twitter and befriended me (because really, I needed some of your guys' energy through this difficult time for all haha). Thank you for those who have sent their kind words about how much this fic made their day every time it updated. I couldn't have asked for a better response.
> 
> For those of you who haven't really spoken up, please do leave one last review! It'd be so great to hear everyone's response to this end, especially you silent readers!
> 
> I gotta put an end to this author's note or else I'll bore you guys out LOL Follow me on twitter if you haven't already (a) cresciejo for updates and if you really want additionally support me, check out my kofi page on my twitter!
> 
> And that's it guys! See you in my next big work :)


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